What is the object's orbital path shown in the image?

[cptolemy]

Summary: orbital path of an object

Good morning

I would like to ask the members of this forum their opinion regarding the object, which path I present in the image. The x-axis is the azimuth (towards me, the observer), and the y-axis the altitude. So it goes up in the trajectory shown (from A to B) in about 1-2 minute. Then proceeds and it gets out of range ( above my eyes and head).

Given these conditions, what further info can we have and what kind of object is it - I think it's impossible to be a airplane. Possibily only a rocket or something like that.I'll wait for any ideas :)

Clear skies

Ptolemy

 

[jim mcnamara]

You have answered your own question, it seems. PF is not the best forum for speculation about what something may be. There a lot of 'probably' scenarios related to where and when the sighting(s) occur.

So, with that in mind, I'm moving this question down into General Discussion.

You may want to add latitude and longitude, approximate direction, and time of day to your observation notes.

 

[cptolemy]

Hi

Thanks. Yes, I understand. The latitude is 41 degrees North, and the longitude 8.5º West.
So the rocket was around north-west, at 9h10m UT in the morning (sun at az. = 99.72º and alt. = 43.14º).
The sunset happened at azimuth = 299.26º.

Clear skies,

Ptolemy

 

[ZapperZ]

Summary: orbital path of an object

Good morning

I would like to ask the members of this forum their opinion regarding the object, which path I present in the image. The x-axis is the azimuth (towards me, the observer), and the y-axis the altitude. So it goes up in the trajectory shown (from A to B) in about 1-2 minute. Then proceeds and it gets out of range ( above my eyes and head).

View attachment 244208

Given these conditions, what further info can we have and what kind of object is it - I think it's impossible to be a airplane. Possibily only a rocket or something like that.I'll wait for any ideas :)

Clear skies

Ptolemy

Your figure doesn't convey any idea on the distance traveled. Furthermore, saying that it took about 1-2 minutes is horribly inaccurate, because the difference in time could be up to 100%, meaning that object could be twice as fast, or twice as slow, which is a huge difference. Something that travels between Chicago and LA in 4 hours is a yawner, but something that travels between Chicago and LA in 2 hours is an eye-opener! It's that kind of a difference.

Zz.

 

[cptolemy]

Hi

I'm aware of that. But my question is simple: can this be a plane? In 2 minutes, it traveled 8.5º in the azimuth, and rised 33º. The innacuracy becomes from the fact that I had less than 2 minutes to figure this measures out.
I just wanted your opinion, that's all.

Clear skies,

Ptolemy

 

[Vanadium 50]

This is going to be a bad version of twenty questions.

Based on what you've told us, it could be a bird, it could be a plane and it could be Superman.

All we have is some guesses at angles, guesses at times, a drawing drawn with the dubious assertion that the object started exactly at the horizon and the statement that it can't be an airplane. Nobody can identify something based on that.

Oh, and I don't understand how this could be an "ecliptic orbit" since it's not in the ecliptic (which doesn't have a bend in it) and you have provided no evidence it's in orbit.

 

[russ_watters]

But my question is simple: can this be a plane? In 2 minutes, it traveled 8.5º in the azimuth, and rised 33º. The innacuracy becomes from the fact that I had less than 2 minutes to figure this measures out.
I just wanted your opinion, that's all.

I don't see why it couldn't be a plane. Why do you think it couldn't?

You should get an app like FlightAware, which let's you track planes around you in realtime on a map. If it's a regularly scheduled airliner you should see it at about the same time every day. Flying west to east over Portugal in the morning sounds like a "redeye" flight from the USA to somewhere in southern Europe.

Edit: Also, the most recent launch from Florida was on Thursday/Friday night - middle of the night for you.

 

[cptolemy]

Good afternoon,

I forgot to mention the trail left by the plane, rocket or whatever - a jet trail. So it was not superman or a bird.

My apologies for the "ecliptic"- I meant, of course, "elliptic". And no it was not a plane. It was a rocket - I just confirmed.

I was not looking for an ufo or something like that, and the calculation parameters were requested to me, from the central department of the north coast of my area.

Piece of advise: take this as a high school problem and try to solve it, even if the length of the object is the variable. No one seems to understand the minimum principles of trignometry , both planar and spherical. Or worst, no one even bothers to take this as an exercise and help someone.

I'm a long member here in this forum, and I have the strange feeling that I'm being treated as a newbie - even if all deserve the same attention and help. My area is celestial mechanics, and I work only on research thus the requested help. Placing this subject here was clearly a mistake. It will be my last.

So, thanks...for nothing.

I just ask for the moderator to close this thread, and my thanks for the trouble of placing this subject in the right discussion board.

Clear skies

Ptolemy

 

[russ_watters]

My apologies for the "ecliptic"- I meant, of course, "elliptic". And no it was not a plane. It was a rocket - I just confirmed.

How did you confirm it?

Piece of advise: take this as a high school problem and try to solve it, even if the length of the object is the variable. No one seems to understand the minimum principles of trignometry , both planar and spherical. Or worst, no one even bothers to take this as an exercise and help someone.

I'm a long member here in this forum, and I have the strange feeling that I'm being treated as a newbie - even if all deserve the same attention and help. My area is celestial mechanics, and I work only on research thus the requested help. Placing this subject here was clearly a mistake. It will be my last.

So, thanks...for nothing.

I do hope you understand that your description was very vague. Your altitude scale only has one number on it, and you gave no description whatsoever of what it looked like or time of day, etc. in your opening post. We did do our best to help, but then again I would have hoped someone with a background in celestial mechanics could have done a better job describing what they saw...

...but as it turns out, this sort of thing is a major blind-spot for people, which of course is why UFO reporting has the reputation it has. Either way, people were reacting to the quality of information they received but still trying to help as best they could. Now after-the-fact, I hope someone with your educational background could recognize this. And perhaps they actually did help by pushing you to provide more information after the first post.

I'm glad you figured it out though.

 

[cptolemy]

Greetings

Thanks for the compliments. The confirmation was made by the Azores base, to the local department, given a conic location section I presented. As for what and how, I don't know.

As for the information you said that it was not given, look better to the graphic, and to the published geographic coordinates, UT hour and sun azimuth (at the time, and at sunset). If this is not enough, I don't know what it is honestly. If I had all the info, I would not have to solve this, right?

Either way, all is well. Take care.

Clear skies

Ptolemy