Time Lapse Cornucopia of Satellites, Aircraft and Yes, a Lone Meteor

The night of May 17-18, 2018 was exceptionally clear with little moonlight, being close to the new moon. Normally, the telescope would come out to play. That just wasn't going to happen since I had work the next morning. Time lapse photography is my next-best thing at the moment, so I set up the DSLR in the backyard to see if I could catch anything.

My trusty Nikon can stay up all night on a weeknight when I can't.

Using the results of my previous ISO tests, I set the camera for 25-second exposures at ISO 320 and white balance to sunlight. Here are some of the cool things captured that night:

Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS)

Several pairs of NOSS satellites showed up throughout the night. And that's what makes them cool - they travel in pairs. They're also very dim.

These NOSS trails are enhanced slightly to make them easier to spot in the image.

Airliner and Satellite Converging

If you don't think about these objects being hundreds of miles apart, an airliner and satellite converged into the trees.

Satellite Flares

There were three satellite flares captured throughout the night! As I mentioned in a previous blog article, flares (or glints) happen when the sun reflects off the surface of the satellite.

One of the three flares seen on the night of May 17-18.

Three Satellites in a Single Frame

Did I mention that it was a busy night for satellites? They're somewhat dim, but there are three in this single image.

Last, But Not Least - a Meteor

Yes, a lone meteor graced our morning sky. Short, sweet and to the point.

If I can catch a meteor, I consider the night a success.

The Time Lapse

And yes, of course I strung the images into a time lapse. Enjoy!