APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

[APOD Robot]

The Flare and the Galaxy

Explanation: Is this person throwing a lightning bolt? No. Despite appearances, this person is actually pointing in the direction of a bright Iridium flare, a momentary reflection of sunlight off of a communications satellite in orbit around the Earth. As the Iridium satellite orbits, reflective antennas became aligned between the observer and the Sun to create a flash brighter than any star in the night sky. Iridium flares typically last several seconds, longer than most meteors. Also unlike meteors, the flares are symmetric and predictable. The featured flare involved Iridium satellite 15 and occurred over southern Estonia last week. In this well-planned image, a spectacular night sky appears in the background, complete with the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy running vertically up the image center.

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[Beyond]

I like well-planned images. Some of them are almost purrfect.

[Boomer12k]

Fun with space....

:---[===] *

[Ann]

And now maybe someone wants to add something more serious...)

Ann

[Nitpicker]

complete with the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy running vertically up the image center.

Nicely unambiguous wording!

(And the APOD is great, too.)

[RedFishBlueFish]

The Iridium's flash is very pretty.

However, I well recall the discussion after it was discovered that these satellites produced this phenomenon, about the adverse effects of this unwanted light pollution, as well as that of the interference occasioned by the satellite's radio transmissions overlap with frequencies of interest to radio-astronomers.

So how has that all worked out?

I seem to recall that fewer Iridiums (Iridia?) were placed into orbit than originally planned. Was this because of pressure from the scientific community, or just a business decision?

At least the low orbit illuminated "Space Billboard" planned in the mid-nineties by some American advertising agency never got off the ground. It was to have the same brightness and apparent size as the full moon.

Well composed and thought provoking image. Thanks.

[BMAONE23]

Caught one of these once, later in the evening at around 9:30 while taking out the trash, I looked up and noticed the telltale glow but the flare was glowing in a most prominent red hue, most probably from the reflected sunset color skimming off the horizon (from the satellites perspective)

[jandomc]

Might this phenomenon might explain some UFO observations?

[starsurfer]

Is this person throwing a lightning bolt?

Click to play embedded YouTube video.

[DL MARTIN]

By simply tilting one's head to the side, it reinforces the idea that we look out, rather than up. Viewing the galaxy from that perspective seems to make it more comprehensible.

[LocalColor]

Nice shot!

[DavidLeodis]

I've clicked on Martin Mark in the credit expecting that to probably bring up Martin's website but I keep getting a message "Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed". Does anyone else get this message?

[Guest]

I've clicked on Martin Mark in the credit expecting that to probably bring up Martin's website but I keep getting a message "Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed". Does anyone else get this message?

http://matugraphy.com/

[DavidLeodis]

I've clicked on Martin Mark in the credit expecting that to probably bring up Martin's website but I keep getting a message "Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed". Does anyone else get this message?

http://matugraphy.com/

Thanks Guest .

I found it odd that a link would be provided (presumably from Mark) that appears to require that people need to have a specific mail client to open it.

[bystander]

I found it odd that a link would be provided (presumably from Mark) that appears to require that people need to have a specific mail client to open it.

Like all e-mail addresses on APOD, it has been intentionally obfuscated. Most people wishing to send Mark an e-mail could probably figure it out. I'm surprised it's the first time you've encountered it.