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Bright object LOOK NOW!
by Chuck Hards 18 Aug '14

18 Aug '14

For the past ten minutes I've been watching an extremely bright object drift overhead. It is brighter than Venus, is drifting NNE to SSW, right now is due north and almost overhead from my location in North Salt Lake. I only have 10x25mm bino with me. It appears spherical with an appendage sticking out one side. I think it's in the atmosphere, if it's orbiting, it is very far, not a low orbit at all. Moving too slowly. I'll follow it for as long as I can. Check the time on this message. Probably only going to be visible for a little while longer. Still visible in a bright blue sky, the sun isn't up yet though. Any confirmations are appreciated.

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Comet / Flare
by Wiggins Patrick 18 Aug '14

18 Aug '14

I just saw what I think was the brightest Iridium flare I've ever seen. CalSky said it would be -7.4 but it sure looked brighter than that. Also, for those who may not have heard, CalSky has been alerting the past few days about a fairly bright comet visible in our skies, C/2014 E2 (Jacques). I saw it this morning with my C-5. Fairly easy to see despite the Moon being nearby. No sign of a tail. The coma overexposed on some test shots I took with only a hint of a tail registering. Tomorrow (Monday) morning look for it to be about RA 03 13 Dec +58. That puts it about 64 degrees up in the east at the end of astronomical dark (0500 MDT). Also for tomorrow morning, Jupiter and Venus really close together. Here from NASA: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/15aug_conjunction/ patrick

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Fun UFO story
by Joe Bauman 17 Aug '14

17 Aug '14

OK, tell me what this is. I vote for a meteor fireball, but it's strange. -- Joe http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/17/ufos-videotaped-canadian-wildfire_…

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Chrismo
by Chuck Hards 16 Aug '14

16 Aug '14

Looks like Chris' email account was hacked again. Anybody have his phone number?

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Updates
by Wiggins Patrick 15 Aug '14

15 Aug '14

For those who might be interested I'm putting award updates on my Facebook page.

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] Flocks of Birds While Observing
by Bruce Hugo 14 Aug '14

14 Aug '14

They did not seem to be geese. I'll try to make a more positive ID next time and try to follow them at low power. Whoa... unidirectional-airflow lungs? Did not know about that! Will have to look it up. Bruce

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Flocks of Birds While Observing
by Bruce Hugo 14 Aug '14

14 Aug '14

I live in Sandy near Little Cottonwood Canyon. The city's "glow ball" lighting system does a great job of lighting the bottom of airplanes (ugh) but it also lights up flocks of birds travelling overhead. Anyone know what type of birds are flying by at night? I was out last night bumping around some Messier objects around 10pm before the moon kicked in and there were numerous flocks of birds slipping through my eyepiece view. The city glow illuminated them well. They seem rather high in altitude. They were light in color. Possibly white. I'm assuming a smaller bird from their movement and they traveled in a loose "V" or "W" when in flock. I saw them a number of times last year too. Anyone else see these night travelers? Anyone know who they are? Just being Mr. Curious! Thanks! Bruce Hugo

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NASA awards
by Joe Bauman 14 Aug '14

14 Aug '14

NASA is giving out the awards right now. NASA TV

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Did you see the google logo?
by Richard Tenney 12 Aug '14

12 Aug '14

https://www.google.com/webhp?tab=ww&ei=J5bpU8DFEoqwjAL_xICoCw&ved=0CBkQ1S4

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OT -- warning for Patrick
by Joe Bauman 11 Aug '14

11 Aug '14

http://safeshare.tv/w/kLlmcNCGBk

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