Search found 1516 matches

by stella
Tue Oct 03, 2023 9:35 am
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are on track to outnumber the number of stars in the sky
Replies: 2
Views: 88

Re: Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are on track to outnumber the number of stars in the sky

A quote from the article will give you an idea of the reliability of the source:- "In its filings, SpaceX said the additional 30,000 satellites would operate in low Earth orbit at altitudes ranging from 1,076 feet to 1,922 feet." The satellites would be colliding with hills and mountains a...
by stella
Sun May 28, 2023 9:36 am
Forum: Astrophysics
Topic: A galaxy far, far away ..
Replies: 2
Views: 418

Re: A galaxy far, far away ..

"The Webb telescope is the most powerful in the world"

It doesn't qualify as a telescope 'in the world', since it departed the Earth some time ago.
by stella
Mon Mar 20, 2023 10:21 am
Forum: Observing
Topic: New Moon: 21 Mar 2023
Replies: 7
Views: 516

Re: New Moon: 21 Mar 2023

"It's interesting that the moon is 1/400th the diameter of the sun but also 400 times farther away".

No, the Moon is 400 times nearer.
by stella
Fri Sep 23, 2022 2:08 pm
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: Bluewalker 3
Replies: 16
Views: 2087

Re: Bluewalker 3

Quote from above " It could become brighter than the planet Venus, outshining everything in the night sky except the Moon." I saw it last night (Sept. 22) - it was magnitude +6.4 And Skipper Billy's image is NOT SW3, his object is in a polar orbit - SW3 is in an orbit inclined at 53.2 degr...
by stella
Tue Jul 26, 2022 3:18 pm
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: Deorbiting the ISS
Replies: 5
Views: 1889

Re: Deorbiting the ISS

Russia intends to build its own space station, so there will be 3 stations to observe in a few years time.
All going around the round-about in the same direction.
by stella
Thu Jul 14, 2022 11:04 am
Forum: General chat
Topic: Struggling with Supermoons
Replies: 11
Views: 1518

Re: Struggling with Supermoons

"I'd be interested to know if anyone here could step outside and say with confidence that they can see the difference between this month's full Moon and last month's."

Last month's was only 100 miles further away than this month's - so it too was the dreaded "Supermoon".
by stella
Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:47 am
Forum: Astrophysics
Topic: Starquakes
Replies: 3
Views: 1224

Re: Starquakes

Thanks for that; - I was about to inform the Civil Aviation Authority!
by stella
Tue Jul 05, 2022 5:24 pm
Forum: Astrophysics
Topic: Starquakes
Replies: 3
Views: 1224

Re: Starquakes

"Gaia is located about 1.5 kilometres from Earth"

You're only out by a factor of one million.
by stella
Wed Mar 09, 2022 11:48 am
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: A Shetland’s spaceport
Replies: 6
Views: 1947

Re: A Shetland’s spaceport

Scotland is best because its northerly aspect means launches pass over the sea, and not over inhabited areas.
Sun-synchronous orbits (inclined at near 98°) are valuable for Earth surveying missions.
by stella
Mon Sep 27, 2021 9:23 pm
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: Heads up
Replies: 4
Views: 2111

Re: Heads up

Prediction fulfilled. Not able to give a direction, as at the time of my message, Landsat 9 was still on the launch pad. However, the launch (at 18.12 U.T.) went according to plan and the resulting phenomenon was the Centaur rocket performing a de-orbit burn to remove itself from orbit and thus help...
by stella
Mon Sep 27, 2021 6:25 pm
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: Heads up
Replies: 4
Views: 2111

Heads up

Watch out for 'strange lights' in sky at around 22.10 BST this evening, Sep 27.
by stella
Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:13 pm
Forum: Observing
Topic: Fomalhaut , alpha Piscis Austrini
Replies: 4
Views: 976

Re: Fomalhaut , alpha Piscis Austrini

For me it means "Fom-the-high"?
by stella
Mon Aug 30, 2021 7:11 pm
Forum: Visual Satellite Observing
Topic: Stop That Pigeon & Is This The Death of Satellite Observing
Replies: 3
Views: 1978

Re: Stop That Pigeon & Is This The Death of Satellite Observing

Please note that the company is "Skyrora" and not "Skyora".
by stella
Thu Jul 29, 2021 6:01 pm
Forum: Observing
Topic: Moon & Jupiter +Galileans
Replies: 9
Views: 1095

Re: Moon & Jupiter +Galileans

The satellite was Cosmos 1900, 87-101A, #18665, passing 38 Aqr at 03:28:29 U.T.