Strange red,white, blinking light. Star? *video*

Sorry if this is not in the right section, didn't know where to put it. Move it if necessary.

The other day walking back from my buddys house early in the morning (bout 3 am) I noticed a strange light in the sky. It's a lot brighter then 99% of the stars you see, and it blinks kinda like an airplane strobe light. But this is a stationary object, not moving. I have so far seen it a couple times, and decided to finally take a video of it. I checked Starry Night, and it looks like it could be a group of stars called "Capella" but what's with the weird blinking?. This star or whatever it is, is slightly left of NE of my location (Mississauga), coming out of the horizon roughly about 2:20am.

Here is a link for 1st video in HD
www.youtube.com...


And this one is not HD, but zoomed in and its easier to see the different coloured lights.
www.youtube.com...


And here is an image from Starry Night.



[edit on 10-7-2010 by YouCanCallMeKM]

I am no astrologist so I can't locate constellations well but two nights in a row last week my wife saw a star "move" from one end of the horizon and disappeared near the big dipper. Possibly a satellite? I couldn't explain to her though why it vanished mid sky.

When I go outside to smoke nearly every night I always see at least a couple stars that blink red.

This can happen when you look at a star that is basicaly eclipsing a star behind it, and you see a weird red, white a blue sparkling effect, sometimes it can even appear green.

Originally posted by kenny71
I am no astrologist so I can't locate constellations well but two nights in a row last week my wife saw a star "move" from one end of the horizon and disappeared near the big dipper. Possibly a satellite? I couldn't explain to her though why it vanished mid sky.

earlier this year a friend of mine and i were out in my front yard at night watching a helicopter flying really low....some sort of military copter and we was talking and joking about the police state and shooting it birds and yelling at it when it flew by...it was funny....after it left we was standing there smoking and i was looking up at the stars..(this was in s. Teneesee).....my friend was looking up at them and we was just scanning the millions of stars.....both of us looked at the same star at the same time (that in itself is amazing) and that tiny little white dot of a star split into and headed in opposite directions at amazing speeds....we both about crapped our pants.....never seen anything like it before......a star that just split and at amazing speed head in different directions.....the other thing is we both saw it...my friend could have been looking at any other of the millions of stars but we both looked at that one at the same time.....they are watching us....they look like stars.

reply to post by YouCanCallMeKM




it looks like the star/ufo i filmed.

strange thing was that the days after i filmed it (Same place/time) it wasn't there.

What you have been looking at is the star "Arcturas" It is quite bright and shows several pulseing colors. The strobe effect is the light from the star working its way through earths atmosphere to your eyes.

CHINESE LANTERN! CHINESE LANTERN!! CHINESE LANTERN!!! IT HAS TO BE A CHINESE LANTERN!!!!

Originally posted by gem_man
What you have been looking at is the star "Arcturas" It is quite bright and shows several pulseing colors. The strobe effect is the light from the star working its way through earths atmosphere to your eyes.

Its funny because I was waiting for some one to say this. If that is the case, then how come every other star does not do this huh?

Also, You really need to get your facts straight before posting information that is not correct. The star "Arcturas" Is in the constellation called "Bootes" which is not even close to NE at the time. As shown with proof in the picture below

As you can see. "Bootes" and "Arcturas" are no where near the "star" I filmed, so please look up your information before you post because I dont want to babysit and have to prove you wrong.




The star "Arcturas" would actually be slightly near the horizon at the time I filled the star as well. As seen in the picture below.




So once again. Please get your facts straight and don't try to pollute other peoples mind with garbage misinformation.

That being said. Im still not 100% if the star I filmed is actually the group of stars called "Capella" but so far it does seem like it. I will try to stay up till 3am again because the sky is much clearer today then yesterday. Have a look with my telescope and see if I can get a better image or video.

[edit on 10-7-2010 by YouCanCallMeKM]

Explanation: S&F!

Yes it's most likely Capella! Your screen grabs were most helpful so thank you!

Here is why... You will please note the very similar group of stars, to the up and right of Capella [about 1 to 2 inches], in your screen grab and how they very closely match with the Constellation Perseus in my screen grab from Google Earth [using the sky map OK].

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/8d3ad63c2cc0.jpg[/atsimg]

The reason the stars and planets twinkle/scintillate like that when low on the horizon, is that there is more dense air between you and those objects as they rise or sink below the horizon.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d7887500171b.jpg[/atsimg]

Personal Disclosure:

[edit on 5-8-2010 by OmegaLogos]

[edit on 5-8-2010 by OmegaLogos]

[edit on 5-8-2010 by OmegaLogos]

Edited to fix picture fail! soz


[edit on 5-8-2010 by OmegaLogos]

In general, the brighter the star the more scintillation. At magnitude .08, Capella is the 6th brightest star in the sky.

Sirius is the brightest and can put on a spectacular show.



[edit on 8/5/2010 by Phage]

reply to post by kenny71


It is because there is no sunlight hitting the satellite anymore.

Ok ! Now that I know a lot of people have seen this! What is it I spotted last night while walking my dog about 1130 pm est and by 2 am it had traveled very slowly across a little distance of the sky but I had to turn all the way right to see it! Then it just disappears! I re focused my eyes on other stars but none did the same thing! I tracked the iss and other satellites none where in that position! Now tonight it is back again doing the same thing! It looks like it is blinking red blue green and maybe a hint of gold! It's not a plane! I'm not stupid I know what a plane is! It is now just really driving me nuts that I do not know what this is!

I have a star chart I can point and it tells me the star light years away everything what I am seeeing is not Capella or Arcturus I have already ruled them out! Was my first rational explanation! Not the iss and not a satilite ! Planes are not that high up and don't move or blink like what I am seeing! Sometimes it looks like two stars blinking and slow dancing! If that makes sense!

reply to post by Cayte1986


Location and direction would be a good start......you've stated the time, so that will help too..

My money is on it being a star and the effect you mention will just be caused by scintillation....but if you can provided the other info, I will try and help you out.

That's my issue it is moveing ! Not like zoom ! It's not on my chart ! I am in va so at 11 pm last 2 nights its been at 11 SW and by 2 am NW then just vanishes! If I had coordinates I would gladly give them to you! Yes I know all stars blink! But not like this!

reply to post by Cayte1986


Based on that information, Arcturus fits the bill just nicely, it moves from SW to NW before sinking into the horizon.

Download Stellarium, it's a great tool for identifying astronomical features.

Remember, the more turbulent our atmosphere is (in your general area), the more stars will appear to shimmer different colours.