A Strange item in the sky at sunrise 1-14-18: While awaiting sunrise this morning I noticed a white dot just sitting low in the sky. As the sun began to rise it began a strange...

John K Loc: Old Saybrook, CT

While awaiting sunrise this morning I noticed a white dot just sitting low in the sky. As the sun began to rise it began a strange movement in a upward direction. Of course the one time I didn't have my 400-800 mm lens with me. Any ideas would be welcomed.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Airplane condensation trail (contrail). What is strange about that - other than you not being able to identify this -?

cmc65

Aliens...definately!! If you used the save original button to download we would be able to see it more closely.

eurobird Loc: uk

ET going home

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Ancient Aliens doing a fly by!

BB4A

Oh dear, where do we start? Maybe with this: http://contrailscience.com/why-do-some-planes-leave-long-trails-but-others-dont/

MichaelH Loc: NorCal via Lansing, MI

John K wrote:

While awaiting sunrise this morning I noticed a white dot just sitting low in the sky. As the sun began to rise it began a strange movement in a upward direction. Of course the one time I didn't have my 400-800 mm lens with me. Any ideas would be welcomed.

How long was your exposure? Could it have been the International Space Station? Just Google "spotthestation" for info and a text or email when it is in your viewing area. I wave to it when I can see it.

(Download)

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

It's that 400' lump of highly metallic rock from out of our solar system on a flypast. Unless the Aliens have landed it's all gone quiet on that since Christmas.

John K Loc: Old Saybrook, CT

I now believe is was a Satellite, the contrail was not one of an airplane so I'll leave it at that.

John K Loc: Old Saybrook, CT

File name _MG_9710.CR2
File Size 12.8MB
Camera Model Canon EOS 40D
Firmware Firmware Version 1.0.8 Camera info on picture
Owner's Name
Shooting Mode Program AE
Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/400
Av(Aperture Value) 13
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Focal Length 30.0mm
Image Size 3888x2592
Image Quality RAW
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Auto
AF Mode AI Servo AF
Picture Style Landscape
Sharpness 4
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space Adobe RGB
Long exposure noise reduction 0:Off
High ISO speed noise reduction 0:Off
Highlight tone priority 0:Disable
Dust Delete Data No
Drive Mode Single shooting
GPS Data
Satellite signal status
Date/Time(UTC)
Latitude
Longitude

barbie.lewis Loc: Livingston, Texas

John K wrote:

I now believe is was a Satellite, the contrail was not one of an airplane so I'll leave it at that.

Don't believe satellites leave contrails.

SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA

At 1/400s, that is definitely not a satellite, unless we've figured out how to make them travel at 500 miles/sec. In that case it's no longer in orbit, it's just passing by. Without seeing the original, it could be a meteor, but it still looks just like ordinary contrails.

Besides, satellites in space don't create contrails, no atmosphere.

BB4A

SalvageDiver wrote:

At 1/400s, that is definitely not a satellite, unless we've figured out how to make them travel at 500 miles/sec. In that case it's no longer in orbit, it's just passing by. Without seeing the original, it could be a meteor, but it still looks just like ordinary contrails.

Besides, satellites in space don't create contrails, no atmosphere.

👍

SalvageDiver Loc: Huntington Beach CA

just for grins and giggles, I calculated the approx speed of that item, assuming it was the space station and that the white line was the streak of it traveling during the exposure. Using the image from the EOS40D to estimate elevation (~20 degrees) and length of the streak to be ~192km. The ISS orbits at an altitude of ~400km. With the ISS traveling 192km in 1/400s (shutter speed), the speed of the ISS would be about 48,000 mi/sec. Or about 25% the speed of light.

I'm sorry, the geek in me made me do it.

MichaelH Loc: NorCal via Lansing, MI

John K wrote:

I now believe is was a Satellite, the contrail was not one of an airplane so I'll leave it at that.

It probably wasn't the International Space Station. ISS appears as a bright dot usually as bright as the brightest star and moves faster than most planes. This length of that light trail would have been about 3 seconds of exposure of the ISS. At 1/400sec the ISS would just have been a dot.