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Minor Strangeness (IHTM)

A couple of nights ago I was int back garden, having a smoke, as you do, gazing upwards like usual, and I spotted a sudden bright light that was visible for about 1 - 2 seconds, travelling at a fair chat, west to east.
"Oh" I thought "that'll be one of them iridium satellites". It was yer typical iridium sudden brief flare.

But then I saw another one follow exactly the same path, with the same starting point.
"That's odd" I thought, but dismissed it as either me not observing correctly, or JOOTT (just one of those things).
Or maybe there were 2 satellites, closely following each other.

However, I then saw a 3rd identical light following exactly the same path for the same amount of time, like I was watching a replay of the first sighting, for a third time.
And then a few seconds later a 4th one!!!

My cigarette long extinguished I was now stood there, watching the sky, expecting to see multiple more. But no.
And no it wasn't starlink - I regularly use the online tracker and had a look and none were even near to flying over here at that time.
They weren't meteorites either - too slow....much too slow.
They weren't civilian aviation of any sort either. No flashing navigation lights, too quick and too brief.
 
Trevp666 said:
A couple of nights ago I was int back garden, having a smoke, as you do, gazing upwards like usual, and I spotted a sudden bright light that was visible for about 1 - 2 seconds, travelling at a fair chat, west to east.
"Oh" I thought "that'll be one of them iridium satellites". It was yer typical iridium sudden brief flare.

But then I saw another one follow exactly the same path, with the same starting point.
"That's odd" I thought, but dismissed it as either me not observing correctly, or JOOTT (just one of those things).
Or maybe there were 2 satellites, closely following each other.

However, I then saw a 3rd identical light following exactly the same path for the same amount of time, like I was watching a replay of the first sighting, for a third time.
And then a few seconds later a 4th one!!!

My cigarette long extinguished I was now stood there, watching the sky, expecting to see multiple more. But no.
And no it wasn't starlink - I regularly use the online tracker and had a look and none were even near to flying over here at that time.
They weren't meteorites either - too slow....much too slow.
They weren't civilian aviation of any sort either. No flashing navigation lights, too quick and too brief.
Click to expand...
It really does sound like a group of Starlink satellites. They are launched in a cluster and spread out after launch.

https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites-spotted-night-sky-video.html

I've seen them myself, but the ones I saw were a lot more spread out than the line in the video above.

But you said you looked them up ? Hmm. Not sure what else would look like that.
 
Trevp666 said:
A couple of nights ago I was int back garden, having a smoke, as you do, gazing upwards like usual, and I spotted a sudden bright light that was visible for about 1 - 2 seconds, travelling at a fair chat, west to east.
Click to expand...
Maybe something similar to this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-train_(satellite_constellation)

The A-train (from Afternoon Train) is a satellite constellation of four Earth observation satellites of varied nationality in sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude that is slightly variable for each satellite.

The orbit, at an inclination of 98.14°, crosses the equator each day at around 1:30 pm solar time, giving the constellation its name (the "A" stands for "afternoon") and crosses the equator again on the night side of the Earth, at around 1:30 am.

They are spaced a few minutes apart from each other so their collective observations may be used to build high-definition three-dimensional images of Earth's atmosphere and surface.
Click to expand...
 
Salmonellus said:
It really does sound like a group of Starlink satellites. They are launched in a cluster and spread out after launch.

https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-satellites-spotted-night-sky-video.html

I've seen them myself, but the ones I saw were a lot more spread out than the line in the video above.

But you said you looked them up ? Hmm. Not sure what else would look like that.
Click to expand...
Indeed.
Most of the starlink batches have already really spread themselves out, so much so that you're unlikely to realise you're looking at one individually and think that it is 'just another satellite'.
Also, if you spot a starlink it'll be visible for quite a long period of travel across the sky, until it passes into the earths shadow, not just the one or two seconds that what I saw was visible for.
Most recent starlink launch was G2-9, on May 10th. At time of writing they are somewhere over the South Pole, and as you can see, still firmly grouped together.
https://heavens-above.com/StarLink.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT
1683805638142.png
 
Erinaceus said:
Maybe something similar to this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-train_(satellite_constellation)
Click to expand...
Good call.
But after looking at the tracking data I see that the satellites (3) that make up this bunch do indeed have a track that brings them repeatedly over the UK, however not any passes that would have been at the right time for my observation.
Current recent passes have been around lunchtime and at about 2am (ish).
https://heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=28376&lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=UCT
 
Ticking door weirdness

Just recently on two occasions I’ve noticed a very faint ‘ticking’ coming from my front door on the side with the handle & locks. I noticed it yesterday & a couple of days ago but not noticed it before that. I’ve been unable to track down the cause or narrow down the exact location of the sound despite getting my ears up close. It was a fast ticking at about 240 bpm. When I opened the door it stopped. I went out & when I got back it wasn’t happening.

It was raining slightly yesterday but the ‘tick’ rate was too fast to be water dripping & it didn’t sound like water drips, plus the door is under a porch so remains relatively dry.

No ticking currently though it has been raining.

A bit baffling.
 
hunck said:
Ticking door weirdness

Just recently on two occasions I’ve noticed a very faint ‘ticking’ coming from my front door on the side with the handle & locks. I noticed it yesterday & a couple of days ago but not noticed it before that. I’ve been unable to track down the cause or narrow down the exact location of the sound despite getting my ears up close. It was a fast ticking at about 240 bpm. When I opened the door it stopped. I went out & when I got back it wasn’t happening.

It was raining slightly yesterday but the ‘tick’ rate was too fast to be water dripping & it didn’t sound like water drips, plus the door is under a porch so remains relatively dry.

No ticking currently though it has been raining.

A bit baffling.
Click to expand...
Is it a wooden door? Deathwatch beetle?
 
Trevp666 said:
A couple of nights ago I was int back garden, having a smoke, as you do, gazing upwards like usual, and I spotted a sudden bright light that was visible for about 1 - 2 seconds, travelling at a fair chat, west to east.
"Oh" I thought "that'll be one of them iridium satellites". It was yer typical iridium sudden brief flare.

But then I saw another one follow exactly the same path, with the same starting point.
"That's odd" I thought, but dismissed it as either me not observing correctly, or JOOTT (just one of those things).
Or maybe there were 2 satellites, closely following each other.

However, I then saw a 3rd identical light following exactly the same path for the same amount of time, like I was watching a replay of the first sighting, for a third time.
And then a few seconds later a 4th one!!!

My cigarette long extinguished I was now stood there, watching the sky, expecting to see multiple more. But no.
And no it wasn't starlink - I regularly use the online tracker and had a look and none were even near to flying over here at that time.
They weren't meteorites either - too slow....much too slow.
They weren't civilian aviation of any sort either. No flashing navigation lights, too quick and too brief.
Click to expand...

Interesting Trev!

I like to come out after Tea and just check the night sky out (nowt on telly) and due to our location, and the moon being in it's third quarter, the sky is a star lit plain...anyway, I was checking out Scorpius (eastern sky, three hours after sunset), and happened to look to my left and there were three flashes in no particular order and in different parts of the night sky - all within 3 seconds or so

Initial thoughts were, 'night flight from Sydney to Darwin', as the lights were heading north west but there was no differing colour (red and greeen), and three flights all heading in the one direction?

It was a flash in three different places in the night sky with no repetition this time, other times they have repeated, interestingly in the same small section of the night sky.

I've seen Mr Musks caravanserai before now and it bore no resemblance.
 
Very minor - I was shopping in Sainsbury's yesterday, an occurrence so infrequent that after scanning my rollmops through Self Service, I had to rummage for a half-forgotten Nectar card. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something waffer-thin fall out of my card wallet and just vanish.
By process of elimination, the dropped object had slipped down the gap between the scanner glass plate and the metal housing (although there wasn't a gap). Staff helpfully removed the plate and prised up the mechanics high enough for me to reach in and retrieve a Wenzel's bread loyalty card (last stamped during lock-down). There were also a couple of vouchers down, but not recovered so don't know how long they'd lain there.
 
some very minor strangeness last week. I took my dog out for a squelchy walk and we ended up at the Phone box library, picked up a few random books and waded back.

Later we were channel surfing and came cross an old episode of "Bake off" where a nice chap called Alvin was being turfed off, despite being a pretty nifty baker. Unusual name, not often heard we* agreed. Later that evening I settled down with random book- main character was called Alvin.

Maybe its a sign that Alvin Stardust is coming to Village Fete

*Partner and I, Dog had nothing to say on matter.
 
Mythopoeika said:
Is it a wooden door? Deathwatch beetle?
Click to expand...
Yes it’s a wooden door but the ticks were continuous, not with gaps like that, also much fainter.
Trevp666 said:
Expanding/contracting when the sun shines on it (or stops shining)?
Click to expand...
Don't think so. The ticking was going at a rate of around 4 per second. Expanding/contracting wouldn't be that rapid or regular I think. It went on at that rate for the few minutes I spent trying to track it down.
 
hunck said:
Yes it’s a wooden door but the ticks were continuous, not with gaps like that, also much fainter.

Don't think so. The ticking was going at a rate of around 4 per second. Expanding/contracting wouldn't be that rapid or regular I think. It went on at that rate for the few minutes I spent trying to track it down.
Click to expand...
Does the door ever swell up and become difficult to shut, especially when it's wet or humid? (It has been quite humid lately).
I also wondered if it could be the glass expanding/contracting (if there is glass in it), but as it stopped when you opened it I suspect it's the former.

If the door has some 'give' in it- ie you can move it backwards and forwards a few millimetres even when it's shut, it could be this 'give' that is allowing the door to move slightly (and 'tick') when swollen.
 
hunck said:
Yes it’s a wooden door but the ticks were continuous, not with gaps like that, also much fainter.

Don't think so. The ticking was going at a rate of around 4 per second. Expanding/contracting wouldn't be that rapid or regular I think. It went on at that rate for the few minutes I spent trying to track it down.
Click to expand...
That sounds like metal cooling down.
 
Floyd1 said:
Does the door ever swell up and become difficult to shut, especially when it's wet or humid? (It has been quite humid lately).
I also wondered if it could be the glass expanding/contracting (if there is glass in it), but as it stopped when you opened it I suspect it's the former.

If the door has some 'give' in it- ie you can move it backwards and forwards a few millimetres even when it's shut, it could be this 'give' that is allowing the door to move slightly (and 'tick') when swollen.
Click to expand...
I’m sure the door has some ‘give’ but it doesn’t stick or become hard to open/shut. No glass in it. It was double locked ie with mortice lock as well when the sound was happening so quite tight in the frame. I’m sure some expansion happens with changing weather but it was surprising the regularity & speed of the ticking.

Mungoman said:
That sounds like metal cooling down.
Click to expand...
A bit like that but nothing hot enough to cause!
 
escargot said:
Here is the woggle in situ.
On closer inspection, I notice that the stitching on the place name is misleading. I may have looked up a non-existent troop.
Click to expand...
The Whalley Girl Guides definitely do exist. The Facebook page notes that some made a visit to London around the time I picked up their woggle.

I'd forgotten about the Woggle Scandal until the other buckle on my work rucksack broke and reminded me by stabbing my thumb.

There are now two custom-made hi-viz Rucksack Woggles awaiting installation when I'm in again tomorrow.
The Whalley one can be posted back to where it came from, having been up and down the country for the last couple of months. :bthumbup:
 

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hunck said:
I’m sure the door has some ‘give’ but it doesn’t stick or become hard to open/shut. No glass in it. It was double locked ie with mortice lock as well when the sound was happening so quite tight in the frame. I’m sure some expansion happens with changing weather but it was surprising the regularity & speed of the ticking.
Click to expand...
Our door makes a similar noise and I tracked it down to the little cover (indoors) over the keyhole wobbling in the breeze. Weirdly regular noise tickticktickticktick. I rarely lock this lock from the inside (just leave it on the yale lock) so I sorted it with a bit of sellotape to keep the damn thing still. It must have been barely moving as it wasn't visible. Maybe some sort of standing wave with the air whistling over the keyhole outside like a flute or something?
 
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Bad Bungle said:
Very minor - I was shopping in Sainsbury's yesterday, an occurrence so infrequent that after scanning my rollmops through Self Service, I had to rummage for a half-forgotten Nectar card. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something waffer-thin fall out of my card wallet and just vanish.
By process of elimination, the dropped object had slipped down the gap between the scanner glass plate and the metal housing (although there wasn't a gap). Staff helpfully removed the plate and prised up the mechanics high enough for me to reach in and retrieve a Wenzel's bread loyalty card (last stamped during lock-down). There were also a couple of vouchers down, but not recovered so don't know how long they'd lain there.
Click to expand...
I've had to take one of our tills apart before now, when people have dropped their bank card down the gap.
 
Eponastill said:
Our door makes a similar noise and I tracked it down to the little cover (indoors) over the keyhole wobbling in the breeze. Weirdly regular noise tickticktickticktick. I rarely lock this lock from the inside (just leave it on the yale lock) so I sorted it with a bit of sellotape to keep the damn thing still. It must have been barely moving as it wasn't visible. Maybe some sort of standing wave with the air whistling over the keyhole outside like a flute or something?
Click to expand...
I think you may have cracked it! My door has a similar cover over the mortice lock, but on the outside. Maybe it only happens when the wind is at the right speed from the right direction.

It hasn’t happened since but gives me something to check if it does. Thanks!
 
And now that's been (hopefully) solved, can I urge you all to get some sash-jammers. They're not only an extra security feature for nighttime, but can also be used in the daytime when you're in, to save wear and tear from continually locking and unlocking the door (if you're going outside to the garden etc regularly);
Cheap and easy to fit.
 

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