Attempt at a double

More chance synchronicity produces an aircraft playing snooker with a likely  Cosmos satellite!

animated gif. 2.44mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

Like buses again

Having waited a considerable time for an Iridium flare to show they now seem to be arriving in abundance. This one was Iridium 59 which achieved magnitude -3.2. Like my last Iridium post it just managed to hit its bright spot just as it departed the frame. Unfortunately it coincided with the gap between exposures which, by necessity, is at least 2 seconds. This allows for the camera to fully process each exposure and if not included results in dropped frames.

animated gif. 2.61mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

Quartet

Another synchronous performance as these 4 objects contrive to fly over at the same time. The early evening is now noticeably the busiest period as the sun begins to set deeper and the majority of the lower orbiting satellites become eclipsed more readily than during the summer months.

animated gif. 2.64mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

Not so bright

Not all Iridium flares are spectacular. This is Iridium 91 which managed to achieve its brightest point just as it was departing from the frame. At a meager magnitude -1.2 it was much dimmer than my previous Iridium posted on 4/10/2013.

animated gif. 2.63mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

Like a snail

Not very spectacular and difficult to spot this faint object was traveling extremely slowly. It was visible on every one of a sequence of 116 frames (each a 40 second exposure). The first of which was taken at 21.37.59 the last taken at 23.00.20.  Its direction of travel was more than 45 degrees to the sidereal motion of the stars so not very geostationary.
The Andromeda Galaxy is prominent at the top of these images.

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

Crossed purposes

Sometimes they look intent on colliding with each other.

animated gif. 3.32mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

A brighter visitor

The law of averages made it likely that an Iridium flare would show up eventually on one of these random sessions. This one just managed to get in the frame....It is Iridium 95 and achieved magnitude -5.8 at the brightest point.

animated gif. 2.62mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

Curious colour

This tumbling object is another that has a notably red tinge. Presumably we are looking at reflected sunlight so what produces the strong colour is a curiosity.

animated gif. 1.72mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)

It pays to wait

Somewhat annoyingly I switched off the camera just as this, brighter than usual, pair of (presumably) NOSS satellites entered the frame. A complete sequence of their passing would have been appreciated.

Lens 40mm. single 40 second exposure

Two fast, one slow

Some objects travel very slowly. Compared to the two obvious trails this object (toward upper centre of frame and moving to left) is positively pedestrian. At 40 secs exposure per frame it took well over 20 minutes to pass across the field of view.

animated gif. 3.18mb

Lens 40mm. 40 second exposures

(click thumbnail for large version)