The thing in the sky is called a "flare." Basically the sun is just reflecting off of really large antennae on an Iridium satellite and shining a very bright light down to Earth.
Date: Sunday, 01 June, 2008
Your Location: 40.107°N, 105.148°W
Time Zone: Mountain Daylight Time (GMT - 6:00)
Satellite: Iridium 22
Antenna (MMA): Front
Flare centre is at: 40.088°N, 105.319°W
Distance to centre: 14.8 km (9.2 miles)
Time: 22:39:58
Magnitude: -6
Altitude: 18°
Azimuth: 262° (W)
Mirror angle: 0.1°
Whooooaaaa! I had no idea from the thumbnail that this would be so cool. This could send a shiver of exploration excitement through me if I saw it really big.
An impressive shot Tim.....the foreground colours and lighting are fabulous, they highlight the different shapes and textures of the plants.....well done....Alan
#7 Mon June 2, 2008 10:17pm
Thanks, Tim, but there's no need to go through the trouble, even if it isn't trouble. When I was speaking of big, I meant I could well imagine this image being several feet long, and me losing myself in it. It's still great as computer sized.
Well I learned a new word, "azimuth!"...but I don't think I'll be able to put it into a sentence anytime soon...LOL! Tim, this is just amazing!!!...you have really out done yourself, POTW!!! I wish I was a more technically adept person...but just enough to be able to appreciate your coordinates info...even if I may not understand all of it. This looks to be a very difficult shot, and you worked magic!!!! Daenna
Thanks Deanna and JayFlo! Really all the coordinates tell is when and where to look in the sky and how bright the flare is going to be. The website www.heavens-above.com tells you everything you need to know after you enter your coordinates or select them from a map.
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Daenna