"Contrail" from STS-128?

[llarian]

Time is now 21:47 EST and I was just watching STS-128 and the ISS pass over just to the north of me.

This time I noticed something very odd with the STS. It was very bright and appeared to have a curved comet tail or contrail shaped much like a large reverse comma. At first I thought it might be a meteorological phenomena but the ISS following was not nearly so bright and had no such phenomena. Did this have anything to do with the Simplex test tonight or does anyone have any idea what I saw?

I wish I had my camera at the time to show you, but I was only using naked eye and binoculars to observe. Any thoughts?

 

[tblaxland]

I would doubt that the Orbiter was brighter than the ISS. The ISS would normally be on the order of 2 magnitudes brighter, so you may have your observations confused in that regard.

The disturbances to the ionosphere from the SIMPLEX experiment are only observable by radar.

What was the orientation of the "tail" with respect to the velocity vector of the ISS/Orbiter?

 

[llarian]

I would doubt that the Orbiter was brighter than the ISS. The ISS would normally be on the order of 2 magnitudes brighter, so you may have your observations confused in that regard.

The disturbances to the ionosphere from the SIMPLEX experiment are only observable by radar.

What was the orientation of the "tail" with respect to the velocity vector of the ISS/Orbiter?

OK... pardon me, but Orbitron showed that the shuttle was the lead object. By eyesight it was much brighter than the following object. The following object had an orange tinge to it. I followed viewing them from about a bearing of 220 until they were eclipsed at about 330. Elevation on visual acquisition was about 20 degrees up to about 35 degrees.

To my experience, and what caught my eye was that the entire object looked like a comet, with the object as the nucleus and the "tail" curving behind, down and then slightly forward. Length of the phenomena was about two "finger widths". The tail "travelled" with the object. It was observable up to the point where the object entered the terminator and was eclipsed.

I am not confused that the object was a comet. A comet just does not have the apparent velocity that this had. Neither was it an aircraft (no running lights, strobes ... well familiar with them, I'm ex-Air Force and live on the approaches to a large international airport, besides I had my binoculars 15x70 astronomicals, unable to resolve the object as anything more than a point source). The phenomena was not a contrail as it did not extend behind the object but down and slightly curving forward.

The main confusion factor is that the following object showed no such phenomena.

 

[tblaxland]

OK... pardon me, but Orbitron showed that the shuttle was the lead object. By eyesight it was much brighter than the following object. The following object had an orange tinge to it. I followed viewing them from about a bearing of 220 until they were eclipsed at about 330. Elevation on visual acquisition was about 20 degrees up to about 35 degrees.

My apologies then, I am just very surprised to hear the shuttle being so bright. Perhaps it was a water dump that you saw? Other similar reports here: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=18561.30

 

[llarian]

Thanks for the link. Solidifies my faith in my observational capabilities (and without recreational "additives", too).

After reading some of the other comments on that link, I really wish I had had my camera prepared and on the clock drive. It was a spectacular view of a phenomenon that is not often seen.

As for the brightness of the shuttle at that time, perhaps the water dump had something to do with it (ie, the "ice vapour" cloud in the vicinity of the shuttle). Considering the extent of the "tail", I am sure that the shuttle and the phenomemon together might have increased the apparent diameter of the object, vis-a-vis the ground, and provided for more sunlight being reflected to the observer than normal.

Thinking back, I am quite surprised that a water dump could be that visible from the ground. Of course the observational geometry would have had to be just right for such a rare view.

Just sorry I can't share that image with you folks. It was spectacular! Reason enough to keep watching with every mission.

Thanks again.

 

[bujin]

http://spaceweather.com/submissions...e_name=Clair-Perry-_MG_4652xSW_1252547311.jpg

 

[Star Voyager]

Spaceweather is awesome. I wish I could have seen this phenomenon!

 

[llarian]

Thanks, Bujin. This was an event that a timelapse image was just not capable of. For what I saw, I would have needed a large aperture and a film or sensor that was capable of ISO 1600 or better. My old 30cm Newtonian might have been perfect, if I could have ramped up the clock drive.

What a difference a night makes though. I just watched the shuttle buzz through my local starfield followed four minutes later by the ISS. What a difference in brightness. Of course, this time the ISS was brighter, as expected.