Q for any amateur astronomers

[bizzbo]

Out walking the dog at 00.20 tonight, I saw two satellites track a parallel arc across the sky to the south west, one inside the other. I guess they went below the horizon around scorpio, with the apogee of the arc being around arcturus.

It was really quite beautiful to watch and realise that the arc was exactly parallel, it's certainly something I've never seen before, and it struck me that there was probably a significance, that maybe the one on the inside was en-route to the outer one (presumably in a higher orbit). Whatever, I can't find any info about it online, and all the astronomy forums are dead, so I thought I'd throw this one out there.

Anyone got any ideas what it was?

 

[manchestersoldier]

its jus E.T and hes lost :) got a Garmin instead of a TOM TOM

 

[bizzbo]

Apparently what I saw was probably a recently launched satellite in polar orbit. The object on the inner of the two arcs would have been the last booster stage that is left in a lower orbit.

No launches were scheduled, so the theory goes that it was an unannounced military surveillance satellite, possibly in response to recent events in Iran.

 

[stonerblue]

would scorpio be on the illiptical (sp) plein by any chance ??

 

[bizzbo]

ahh, ecliptic? yeah, scorpio is just below that, i think.

 

[bluemoonrising]

It could be the ISS falling to bits.

 

[-dabz-]

Apparently what I saw was probably a recently launched satellite in polar orbit. The object on the inner of the two arcs would have been the last booster stage that is left in a lower orbit.

No launches were scheduled, so the theory goes that it was an unannounced military surveillance satellite, possibly in response to recent events in Iran.

I cant see it having anything to do with the Iran situation. They would have had that boxed off years ago.
<a class="postlink" href="http://theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/forums/5.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/forums/5.aspx</a>
Have a look in the astronomy section in here, you should get your answer.

 

[emptypockets]

walking the dog? past midnight??? hmmm..."dogging", more like.

 

[bizzbo]

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Have a look in the astronomy section in here, you should get your answer.

can't find anything on astronomy

 

[-dabz-]

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Have a look in the astronomy section in here, you should get your answer.

can't find anything on astronomy

Look in the forums section, there is a very good one on astronomy. Trust me!