Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Falling object this afternoon
Hi all,
did anyone see an object that seemed to fall down this afternoon? From the picture I took it seems to burn.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Finsbury Park Ranger on
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In around 1980 near the shops in Hampstead I watched along with about 12 other engrossed people a green 'star' slowly grow to a ufo rugby ball shape over the course of a minute, far away in the red evening sky and then very suddenly and seemingly purposefully it moved and did a half figure of eight to a new position. Whilst it did that it left a green trail of light behind and once it enacted it's exact half figure of eight it then seemed to speed away and slowly turned into a just green star and blinked out of the sky. Took about two and half minutes. I saw it with my friends father who was a barrister and even he couldn't explain it. All my life I've wondered what the hell that was.
What ever it was it always left me keeping a very open mind on these things. Ive tried googling the event nothing specific to london has come up. Then I got in touch with my friend that I saw it with and he said he couldn't remember it. I'm amazed he forgot it, it stuck with me for life but slightly infuriating I can't colloborate the story with anyone.
However it's amazing what does come up when you google '1980' and 'ufo' ...
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Permalink Reply by Mark B on
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That to me looks like an iridium satellite flare.
Well spotted!
So Iridium is a communications system that uses low orbit satellites for a communications system. I’ve used it in the Antarctic – it’s not too expensive.
The satellites have a funny shaped reflective antenna and under certain conditions they act as a mirror and reflect the sun down to earth.
Now the good bit…
The reflection is predictable, and so when I go to http://www.heavens-above.com/IridiumFlares.aspx?lat=51.5824&lng... and enter the location for Harringay (I did that for the link).
Go back to 29 November and you see
So only 1 km from Harringay Iridium 29 had a flare which was magnitude -8.5, and the time seems to match up with what you say too.
I know that -8.5 probably doesn’t mean much but trust me that is special. The magnitude scale works backwards and Wikipedia has good link on it.
The -8.5 means that the brightness of the flare was approaching the brightness of a full moon – but concentrated into a small area of only a few metres across. It’s no wonder it caught your eye!
The great thing about iridium flares is they are totally predictable. So using the heavens above www site you can easily get the date, time, direction and height of the very bright flares.
And then point them out to people
“If you look that way in about 10 seconds ……….. “
“WOW”
But surely only a total bore would do something like that.
Not me. Oh no…
(The link from AndA looks to me like a plane rather than flare as it has 2 trails not one)
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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Also just noticed you've been to the Antarctic. I'm green with envy.
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I gave a talk about it once at the library
http://www.harringayonline.com/events/frozen-planet-at-stroud-green...
and wrote something
http://www.harringayonline.com/profiles/blogs/more-lonely-than-lond...
Work blog here http://mallemaroking.org/
Harringay is full of people who do things some would think weird, and its stuffed with academics too.
cheers, Mark
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Permalink Reply by AndA on
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Hi Mark, thanks for your reply.
The iridium satellite flare is very interesting and the day and the time seem to match.
I just have a doubt: you wrote that from the link I added it looks like a plane as it has 2 trails. Actually the object in my picture has 2 trails as well and not one.
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Oh yes! My eyesight is appalling!
could it be both wings? -8.5 is almost as bright as the flares can get so with clear sky could be able to see both?
pic from REDORBIT
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Permalink Reply by Laurence on
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Hi Mark,
Can you explain why the flare in the photo appears to have a distinct "head" (pointing down in the photo) and a long & more faded "tail" .. a little like a comet? If it was reflected light from a panel wouldn't the flare be more regular and distinct?
(having thought as I type ....) Maybe its due to the camera exposure - the satellite moved downwards as the shutter was open?
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I can't I'm afraid - but my guess is that the satellite is moving, and orbiting so throw that in with the was the sensor in the camera works....
See a scientist at heart - just trying to figure out what could be likely!
cheers, Mark
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Never ceases to amaze me how knowledgeable people are on this site. Thanks Mark.
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