Any idea on how to identify a celestial event?

  • Thread starter murdochandi
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In summary, the individual is asking if there is a way to look back through telescopic records to identify a flash of light they witnessed in the sky. The flash occurred twice in the same location and grew in intensity. They have ruled out flying objects and believe it may have been some kind of burst. They provide information about their location and a link to more information about the star Alderamin, which was near the flash. Other forum members suggest it could have been a reflection from a satellite or a meteor.
  • #1
murdochandi
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hi, i have a quick question...last april (04/24/11 1:22am/est to be exact) i witnessed a flash in the sky, small but visible with the naked eye...about 20 minutes later my gf and i both saw it happen again in the same location...no movement, no trail, just grew in intensity...i attached a mock-up of how it looked to us...since i know the exact date and time it happened and approximate location (during that night it was right next to alderamin), is there some way to look back through some telescopic records to find out what it was?...of course all of this is based upon the possibility of that area of the sky being looked at/recorded during the time i happened to see it...long shot, but i figured if somebody knew of a possibility, they'd be here...thanks for your time!
 

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  • #2
murdochandi said:
hi, i have a quick question...last april (04/24/11 1:22am/est to be exact) i witnessed a flash in the sky, small but visible with the naked eye...about 20 minutes later my gf and i both saw it happen again in the same location...no movement, no trail, just grew in intensity...i attached a mock-up of how it looked to us...since i know the exact date and time it happened and approximate location (during that night it was right next to alderamin), is there some way to look back through some telescopic records to find out what it was?...of course all of this is based upon the possibility of that area of the sky being looked at/recorded during the time i happened to see it...long shot, but i figured if somebody knew of a possibility, they'd be here...thanks for your time!

Hi there
welcome to the PF forums :)

EST... where USA ? Australia ? somewhere else ?

alderamin ... what is that ?? never heard of it


is there some way to look back through some telescopic records to find out what it was?...of course all of this is based upon the possibility of that area of the sky being looked at/recorded during the time i happened to see it...long shot, but i figured if somebody knew of a possibility, they'd be here...thanks for your time

not likely ... it could have been many things. most likely a meteor coming into the atmosphere almost direct on to you., tho 2 on the same path so close in time would be unlikely

My other though was an iridium flare from one of the iridium satellites, but again not likely to be repeated in the same place in the sky

maybe a distant aircraft coming in your direction and you caught a couple of flashes of the landing lights as they happened to "sway' across you your visual path. Landing lights can be easily seen out to 30 or so kms and at that distance you wouldn't see the red and green navigation lights to realize it was an aircraft

cheers
Dave
 
  • #3
U lucky may be it was a ufo :p
 
  • #4
ah, yes, forgot about that...i'm located in central florida and here's some info about alderamin aka alpha cephei -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Cephei

the flash only happened twice in ~20 minutes so i kinda ruled out any flying objects, "U" or otherwise...the gif loops it, but it only happened twice (that i had seen)...i know there's almost no way it'll be identified, but i'd love to find out about some kind of burst in that area/time
 
  • #5
murdochandi said:
ah, yes, forgot about that...i'm located in central florida and here's some info about alderamin aka alpha cephei -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Cephei

ahhhhh ... not in my sky... too far north :) tho I am well aware of Cepheid variable stars


Dave
 
  • #6
Depending on the position in the sky it could have been a reflection of a satellite, like an Iridium flare. You can see a list of recent and upcoming Iridium flares on http://www.heavens-above.com/ - for the date in question thought it seems you have to change the date parameter manually in the URL to get the wanted date. If you list your geographic position (e.g. nearest larger city) where you observed the flare and the exact date (did you really mean April 24, 2011?) I (or others here) can help getting the list so you can check if a flare did occur around the time you mention.
 

What is a celestial event?

A celestial event is any phenomenon that occurs in the sky or outer space, such as eclipses, meteor showers, or planetary alignments. These events can be observed from Earth and are often the result of astronomical or cosmological phenomena.

How can I identify a celestial event?

To identify a celestial event, you can use various resources such as astronomy magazines, websites, or apps. These resources provide information on upcoming celestial events, their location in the sky, and the best time to observe them.

What equipment do I need to observe a celestial event?

The equipment needed to observe a celestial event depends on the type of event and your level of expertise. For some events, such as meteor showers, you may only need your eyes. For others, like solar eclipses, you may need specialized equipment like a telescope or solar filter.

Can I observe a celestial event from anywhere on Earth?

Most celestial events can be observed from any location on Earth, as long as the sky is clear and the event is visible from that particular location. However, some events, like the Northern Lights, can only be observed from certain latitudes.

How often do celestial events occur?

Celestial events occur at different frequencies. Some, like meteor showers, occur annually, while others, like solar eclipses, can take years or even decades to occur in a specific location. It is essential to stay updated on upcoming events to plan your observations.

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