Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14.

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LongIslandTea70
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Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14.

Post by LongIslandTea70 »

Dear all,

Was with a friend checking out the moon with my new scope early this morning. What we saw which we don't understand - saw this very fine black dot moving on the lower hemisphere of the moon, it seems to be going around like every 5mins or so.

Not trying anything funny here but we just couldn't explan what is that?

Any thoughts or explanation?

Thanks.
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Hardwarezone
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by Hardwarezone »

Probably birds or bats ?
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cloud_cover
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by cloud_cover »

It might have been this:

Image
http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/april/na ... 1HycfmSzOo

Although the impact time would have been about morning ot noon on Friday itself so the timing's a bit off.
Still, if this is what you saw through your telescope, then congrats! You managed to catch a spacecraft in its final moments!
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LongIslandTea70
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by LongIslandTea70 »

cloud_cover wrote:It might have been this:

Image
http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/april/na ... 1HycfmSzOo

Although the impact time would have been about morning ot noon on Friday itself so the timing's a bit off.
Still, if this is what you saw through your telescope, then congrats! You managed to catch a spacecraft in its final moments!
Omg.....haha, very likely! :)

It was my friend who saw and she said, I think there is something on your lens, i said no way, becos anything thing like insect moving would have blurred the view.

The little black dot was appearing every 5mins or so from our viewing. Every time it appeared, if could be seen for like 20secs or so. If you look at the moon like a clock, it was appearing on 6-8 o'clock direction.

I view it using a celestron Ultima 100 sporting scope which I just bought. At that time, moon was like way above our head and it was an awkward position to view. Always wanna see the moon and we were already so amazed with the view and when we saw this black dot, it is like striking 4D! Excited and don't know if it is real.

Thanks for the sharing!
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Airconvent
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by Airconvent »

Unlikely to be the moon probe itself nor its shadow on the moon. Its too small for an earth-based telescope to resolve.
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Hardwarezone
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by Hardwarezone »

Yup, it is not possible for a 4inch scope to see the "less than schoolbus size" spacecraft at that distance.

Theoretical limit is 2.8miles

Use this calculator
http://www.stargazing.net/naa/scopemath.htm
key in these specs for the ultima 100
100mm diameter
528 focal length
eyepiece focal length 8 (the 66x zoom setting)- Apparent Field 60 degrees
eyepiece focal length 24 (the 22x zoom settng) - Apparent Field 40 degrees
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cloud_cover
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by cloud_cover »

Good points. I stand corrected.
Still, it would have been a nice thought.
On the other hand, although the object itself would be invisible in a telescope, I wonder given such a bright background whether the eye might actually see something, or its shadow, for that matter.

Could have been floaters in your eyes as well if you were at significantly more than 150x
On the other hand, maybe it was a Global Hawk keeping tabs...... you don't have any terrorist links, do you? :p
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LongIslandTea70
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by LongIslandTea70 »

cloud_cover wrote:Good points. I stand corrected.
Still, it would have been a nice thought.
On the other hand, although the object itself would be invisible in a telescope, I wonder given such a bright background whether the eye might actually see something, or its shadow, for that matter.

Could have been floaters in your eyes as well if you were at significantly more than 150x
On the other hand, maybe it was a Global Hawk keeping tabs...... you don't have any terrorist links, do you? :p
Thanks to all for your valuable input, good for newbies like me to learn. I am quite sure that little black spot we saw is not a floaters, the size is like a ' . ' you see me typing here. It's movement is consistent appearing at 4 to 5 o'clock diappering at 6 to 8 o'clock, lasting 20 to 30secs infront of a very bright moom. I don't think we are so lucky to spot a UFO but the lunar satellite make sense so far.

Thnks!
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by Airconvent »

My guess is more likely an earth satellite coming into your eyepiece's FOV. :)
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Re: Unexplainable moving object near moon - 0300hrs, 19Apr14

Post by antares2063 »

Could be a earth orbiting satellite transiting the moon..but if it kept appearing every 5 mins as u watched it..hmm weird ...
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