ricktom Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 hello all I was out watching last Saturday night, i was mostly trying to get the best view i could of Mars, i stayed out till approx 11.30 and just before i started packing away i remembered that M104 was below Mars on the star chart so i thought would spend some time trying to find it (alas no) but i was just moving the telescope when some thing caught my eye, there was one of the stars below mars and to the right flashing similar to some one signalling with a torch(rubbish description), i timed the flashes and they were approx 5 to 6 seconds apart, it definitely was not an aircraft or anything similar,the brightness of the flashing was quite strong and then it seemed to lose what intensity it had and sort of just faded so that i could hardly make it out, i have had a look in my book and star chart but it does not say anything, i have been on tinternet and the only thing i can think of is that i stumbled on to a pulsar, could this be what it was? i have a Sky watcher 120 refractor, would it be possible to see something like that with my telescope! Regards Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 sounds like it could have been sunlight reflecting off a satellite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktom Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Hi I did think of something like that, but i seen and tried to track a satellite, but this was as stationary as the stars around it, never mind, thanks for replying Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perkil8r Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Could it have been a geostationary satellite? That would remain stationary against the background, or close to. You could have another look on another night if you know the position it was in, if it's still there it might help discount the satellite theory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Type-R Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Doubt is was a pulsar, the closest pulsar to Earth is the one in M1, the Crab Nebula, general consensus is that the pulsar in M1 is visable optically in a 1 meter + scope, I doubt any kit we have can "see" a pulsar. Most pulsars are detected via the radio pulses they give off, I strongly doubt you have seen a pulsar. I'm going iridium flare of a satellite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricktom Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Apologies everyone, I think my enthusiasm and wonder is not yet matched by my experience. rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Graham Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Apologies everyone, I think my enthusiasm and wonder is not yet matched by my experience. rick No apologies required Rick. If you don't ask you don't learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckstar Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 The only bad question is the one you don't ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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