Adventures in night watching

[elainegrey]

Monday night's observations included two satellites passing south to north overhead, one flashing infrequently, the other with long stretches where the brightness grew to Venus-like intensity. I've no idea what i saw, as it appears the Iridium satellites -- most known for flares -- have almost all been retired. A few fireflies were high in the trees. Eventually i noticed strange lights near the road, almost as if people had powerful flashlights and were waving them around. I went through the house (just as my Dad called at 21:17) and out the front into the dark. As i was talking to Dad, so less sensitive to what was going around me -- when i startled a deer that went crashing off, i didn't miss it though. Turned out two sherrif's cars were pulled up down the road with their lights on.

Last night i was out later and noticed a firefly high in the pines with a pattern of four flashes, faster than one a second, then a pause, and then the four flashes. The pause seemed more like four seconds than fourteen, which doesn't match anything in particular (although if there were two males....)

I wrote up my identification here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/24832286 . I wondered if my write up would get any attention. Since it's the first observation for the species recorded in iNat (gasp) maybe i'll get some feedback?

In personal news, i find myself posting more privately these days about angsty stuff. There's one pile that is work related insecurities and procrastination, another pile about elephants where "elephants" is insufficient.

Comments

[warriorsavant]

Lights at night. Lovely.

[randomdreams]

The iridiums have flares almost as bright as the moon (although smaller), and they only last for maybe five seconds. There's nothing else like them.

[elainegrey]

I think i was just very lucky to catch some random reflection off a satellite. I watched some videos of the iridium flares and this was similar but much longer on the first. And the second flared multiple times. It was remarkable.

I'll try to get back in the habit of checking out Heavens Above (looks like there's a flare tonight at 8:20).

[zyzyly]

I use a great little phone app for figuring out where the Milky Way will be called SkyView. It also shows satellites, space stations etc. There is a free version that works pretty well. You can also use it to predict when something will pass over in the future.

[amaebi]

That sounds awesome!

[elainegrey]

Cool! I used to have an app that just did that for satellites and the ISS; i'm downloading skyview now.

Hope you and Malida had good adventures this weekend!

[amaebi]

May the Angsts resolve, or turn to productivity, or to joy, or to good stories, but in any case stop plaguing you.

[elainegrey]

Thanks. I;m hoping to try and poke at the work angst today so that i can perhaps move past them tomorrow morning.

[amaebi]

I'm holding my thumbs for you. :)