Knight of Cydonia Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 10 hours ago, Muledeer said: According to google: Gamma rays can't penetrate Earth's atmosphere, so they can only be observed by space telescopes. But many bursts also produce lower-energy X-rays, radio waves and even visible light. So if you're quick enough, you can study gamma-ray bursts from the ground.Mar 21, 2008 Gamma ray bursts (GRBs) are the brightest electromagnetic blasts known to occur in the Universe, and can originate from the collapse of the most massive types of stars or from the collision of two neutron stars. Supernovae are stellar explosions that also can send harmful radiation hurtling towards Earth.Nov 8, 2016 The event I saw was in Aug 2008 or 2009. I googled it up a few months later and determined it was, indeed a gamma ray burst. I first thought it could have been a super nova. Maybe it was just a regular UFO. Never before or since have I seen a big bright "star" simply burn out. And no, I wasn't high that night 🤩. Even though there is visible light associated with a gamma ray burst (not the burst itself, but the afterglow), it's too faint to be seen with the naked eye. The Wikipedia page says it's possible to "study gamma-ray bursts from the ground", but they mean with a telescope, not the naked eye. The sole exception was that case in March 2018. So if what you saw was in August, it wasn't a gamma ray burst. I'm curious to know what you saw, though! Link to post Share on other sites
coyote55 Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 Halley's comet, 1986 - it was pretty dim, but huge Hayukatake, 1996 Hale-Bopp, 1997 2017 Solar eclipse at totality Not astronomical, but the first satellite I saw was Echo 1 in the early 1960s- a huge spark crossing the evening sky. Link to post Share on other sites
robnrdbrd Posted May 21, 2019 Share Posted May 21, 2019 Blue meteor in addition to many of the typical (yellow?) ones. I mentioned it to friends - who didn't see it - when we were walking up to a party and they all made fun, telling others that I saw a UFO. 😕 ... the next day one emailed all of us an article saying local astronomers thought there'd probably be a strike somewhere. I have also seen a bright orange bolide (just learned the term, having used 'fireball' before to describe but it certainly appeared to break up). I was walking up from the lake by myself after watching the Perseids with family when a bright flash over my shoulder looked so 'low' to me that I instinctively ducked! 😂 I always had moments of awe when I returned to visit family in the summer after living in the city, just looking at a larger number of stars could take my breath away some nights. Does Aurora Borealis count? If so, twice ... once when I was a kid and another in my early 20s. Link to post Share on other sites
Muledeer Posted May 21, 2019 Author Share Posted May 21, 2019 25 minutes ago, robnrdbrd said: Does Aurora Borealis count? If so, twice ... once when I was a kid and another in my early 20s. Absolutely! Seeing an Aurora is high on my bucket list. Link to post Share on other sites
ColeHW34 Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 I have seen a comet before and seen the sky split into two parts light and dark. Link to post Share on other sites
DuskFire Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 I saw the total solar eclipse a few years ago but unfortunately clouds moved in right at the climax....sighhh Link to post Share on other sites
Peter A. Posted May 28, 2019 Share Posted May 28, 2019 I've seen the sun set. Does that count? Link to post Share on other sites
paralibrarian Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 Yes! I saw that comet slamming into Jupiter a couple of decades ago. I've seen many lunar eclipses. Witnessed a partial version of the 2017 solar eclipse. I intend to travel to Kent, OH for the 2024 eclipse. My daughter was born there, so it'll be neat to take her. She'll be graduating from college right around then, if all goes as planned. Heck, I'm happy just to look at the moon through binoculars and see all the craters and stuff. My wonder threshold is pretty low! p.s. I've also seen plenty of meteor showers (last summer's Orionids, I think they were the last ones, if I'm remembering the name right) and I definitely saw a crazy fireball one time when I was driving on the freeway. Link to post Share on other sites
Sally Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 On 5/27/2019 at 10:36 PM, Peter A. said: I've seen the sun set. Does that count? Yes, it does, and also the sun "rising". The earth's revolution is an astronomical event. Link to post Share on other sites
uhtred Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 A comet and a total solar eclipse. Link to post Share on other sites
SithAzathoth WinterDragon Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 The transit of Venus 2012 Green fire ball in 2001 A solar mass eruption on the sun with a solar scope in 2016........ The list goes on Link to post Share on other sites
Muledeer Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 @Sithmaster WinterDragon There will be a transit of Mercury next Monday, Nov 11! I also saw a green fireball about 30 years ago. Link to post Share on other sites
SithAzathoth WinterDragon Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Muledeer said: @Sithmaster WinterDragon There will be a transit of Mercury next Monday, Nov 11! I also saw a green fireball about 30 years ago. I don't have a solar scope to see this event ☹. The fire ball was intriguing..... later that morning in school during lunch my teacher asked why I looked distracted.... I said I saw a rare phenomenon in the night sky.... Also in 2006 in Washington I saw a purple flash in the sky. Link to post Share on other sites
Tja Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 Comet Shooting star Meteor shower Link to post Share on other sites
Skycaptain Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 The annual Perseides meteor shower frequently, one 99% solar eclipse, and a couple of lesser one, multiple lunar eclipses. Link to post Share on other sites
SithAzathoth WinterDragon Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 12 hours ago, SkyenAutowegCaptain said: The annual Perseides meteor shower frequently, one 99% solar eclipse, and a couple of lesser one, multiple lunar eclipses. The December lunar eclipse I watched through my telescope in a black Jedi robe...... some people passing by slowed down and took photos. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I watched the Hale Bopp Comet during the middle of the 1990s. Link to post Share on other sites
Muledeer Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 1 hour ago, John Flushing said: I watched the Hale Bopp Comet during the middle of the 1990s. I saw that too. It was the best / brightest comet I have ever seen. I also remember Comet Kahoutec (not sure hos to spell it) in the early 1970's. My mom called "comet Kotex" 🙂 Link to post Share on other sites
daveb Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Did those comets have a big impact on you? (sorry, I'll see myself out) Link to post Share on other sites
Muledeer Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 no impact. they just flew right on by..... Link to post Share on other sites
daveb Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Sorry, it was over my head. Link to post Share on other sites
PoeciMeta Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 Several moon eclipses and good old shooting stars (Perseids every year)... it was cloudy during the last solar eclipse Don't remember the rest. I remember noticing the moon starting its eclipse while travelling, and since it wouldn't be visible in our usual part of the world, we didn't get the news that there would be one. I was lucky to spot it, it was the only night I stayed up that late of all the trip. Link to post Share on other sites
J. van Deijck Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Two years ago at summer I have been observing the ISS travelling around the sky. That one moves really fast 😮 I have seen several solar eclipses, but in my area they've never been full. At least not since I was born. I also saw some lunar eclipses, supermoon, and the moon looking red. That last one was beautiful. I tried to catch the Perseids shower, but I have never seen anything, even though it was supposed to be seen from my area. Once probably aurora borealis, but that was quite long ago. Link to post Share on other sites
Ashmedai Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 As much as I like space stuff, the most I've seen was the one random lunar eclipse one morning while I was out for a drive Link to post Share on other sites
fooledbysecrecy Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 i've seen a couple of lunar eclipses, partial solar eclipse in i think 2008? just a tiny bit of the sun was gone, then the one in 2015, partial as well, but probably the closest i'll ever get to a total one, man i really wish i could experience That one day! i saw a coment in the 90s, one with a japanese name?? think i've seen the ISS or something move across the sky. and back when i lived in finland the northern lights were totally a yearly thing if that counts. i miss them. ugh i love space. Link to post Share on other sites
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