I've received permission from our good friend, Dr Clay Sherrod, to post this message from him on our website, as well as this being on his ASO site. As you'll see, he has a discussion going on his website which is listed at the bottom. You ABSOLUTELY MUST click on the link and go to the image he has posted showing this odd object. I also notice in the information attached to the image that his newest research telescope, a MEADE MAX 20" RC is what he used on this image. Congrats on getting that new EYE opened, Dr Clay!

I, like he, hope that everyone has fun with this one, but don't go off telling everyone it's a UFO or a group of alien spaceships flying in formation. (I'm going to do that....HA! [not really])

From Dr Clay

An interesting object interloped into one of our astrometric frames last night; it
passed through the constellation of Andromeda and is a multifaceted trail much as
aircraft lights would leave, but the size of the span of objects indicates a distance
far greater than any aircraft, AND the fact that they are not all matching perfectly
parallel indicates that four separate entities were crossing through the field of view.
We were imaging the NEO 2000 SB1 which is one of the faint 18th mag. stellar points near
the center of the frame.

I have started a discussion on this object, and posted the full CCD frame with exact
specifics at:

http://www.arksky.org/smf/index.php?topic=1215.0

So far, I have had some wonderfully fascinating feedback and would invite any outside
speculation as to what this odd object might have been. I am not a "satellite person"
so any input from such experts is greatly appreciated. I believe that the physical size
and nature of this can rule out an aircraft and suspect reflectivity from some space
junk or low altitude satellite or craft (??)

Have fun with this one.

Dr. Clay
-------------
Arkansas Sky Observatories
Harvard MPC/ H43 (Conway)
Harvard MPC/ H41 (Petit Jean Mountain)
Harvard MPC/ H45 (Petit Jean Mtn. South)
http://www.arksky.org/

Perhaps it's a spy satellite, that doesn't exist? I noticed that wobble to it also.

Object IDENTIFIED!

If you click on the link to the IMAGE above, and scroll down to Dr Clay's final post, you'll see that the object has been identified.


Cool while it lasted.....I had visions of Vulcans, I mean sugar plums, dancing around in my head.

Bob

Hey,I think I may have imaged this last nite also,I noticed on three of my images that I had a trail across the field during (3) 20sec exposures,I'll got thru them & put this as the next to be processed & post it

Rick

Hmm, interesting.

I remember when I lived in Texas, for a couple nights at the same time, an object would pass directly overhead traveling due south to due north. I always wondered what it might have been, spy or weather satellite?