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Post by Martin Mc kenna on Oct 1, 2005 16:59:44 GMT
Hi all I have always been interested in observing the zodical light/band and gegenschein but i heard they required good dark skies and knowledge of where to look to spot these elusive solar system phenomena. I have been checking the sky every clear night with no luck however before dawn this morning i got rewarded for my persistance. At 05.33 LT the sky cleared up after a heavy shower passed over, the trans = 8-9, seeing = 5 and stars to mag 6.5 where easy with the naked eye. The sky was still dark with no morning twilight when i looked to the NE sky and got a shock, my first impression was that i was observing an aurora in the wrong sector of sky until i realised that i was looking at the zodical light!!!!! It stretched up from the NE at an angle following the ecliptic, its base and western edge was 40* long while its eastern most angled side was 0ver 50* long. The ZL was a uniform green colour and as bright as a typical auroral band with well defined edges. Its apex was diffuse and seemed to end in eastern Cancer near the fuzzy glow of M44 and Saturn, the main body of the pyramid was in Leo. It was spectacular sight with the thin crecsent moon with earthshine at its base. Then at 05.48 i spotted the slowest satellite i have ever seen. It appeared like an orange coloured Nova in the head of Draco and creeped across the sky like a snail heading N to S at 05.53 it faded out at mag 6.5. It had covered approx 22* of sky in 5 mins!!!!! Clear skies!
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Post by markdj on Oct 1, 2005 17:26:47 GMT
Great catch Martin. I have never experienced the ZL but that sounds fantastic! That satellite looks to be an Iridium satellite, though I can't be sure.
Clear Skies
Mark
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Post by Martin Mc kenna on Oct 1, 2005 18:23:39 GMT
Thanks very much Mark, it was a great sight! I dont think the satellite was an irdium to be honest as i have never seen one like that before, i reckoned by its colour that it may have been a spy sat but i am just guessing, definitley in a polar orbit anyway. It really was just like a nova in :)Draco Every morning i get up to observe i will watch for the ZL again...ive been trying really hard to spot the Gegenschein every night also and i hope to see it during this or the next dark period. In October its between Picses and Aries as a faint elongated 10 - 15* naked eye pacth of light. fingers crossed
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Post by johnmc9929 on Oct 1, 2005 18:29:53 GMT
Great Martin! autumn mornings are often the best time to see the ZL. I must admit I have never see it knowingly myself.
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Post by Martin Mc kenna on Oct 1, 2005 18:31:58 GMT
Thanks John Pity i didnt have a camera. I can see why it is known as the 'false dawn'.
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