Centaur Rocket “UFO” spectacle images featured in international astronomy magazines – Novosti Kosmonavtiki and Tahdet Ja Avaruus

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:20:21 +0000

Mitchell Krog’s images of the Centaur Rocket Spacecraft which passed over South Africa’s night skies on October 18th 2009 were published in the Russian Astronomy and Space magazine “Novosti Kosmonavtiki” and the Finnish Astronomy Magazine “Tähdet Ja Avaruus” in their December editions.

The sight which took South Africa by storm last year. These images captured by Mitchell Krog were published in the Finland Astronomy Magazine Tähdet Ja Avaruus in December

Hundreds of South Africans saw a star-like point moving across the sky while emitting “haloes” or “bubbles” of light just before 9pm on Sunday evening October 18th. This event sparked many calls to radio stations at the time by people saying they had spotted a UFO over South Africa and for several hours it actually was a UFO until the truth started to emerge that it was a Centaur Rocket which had been launched earlier that day from Vandenberg Airforce Base with a mission to launch a US military satellite.

Russian Space and Astronomy Magazine Novosti Kosmonavtiki featured one of Mitchell Krog's images of the Centaur Rocket which passed over South Africa's night skies on the 18th of October 2009 sparking many claims countrywide of UFO's in our skies. Many sceptics still believe it was a UFO.

After launching the satellite the rocket made by United Launch Alliance (ULA) had excess fuel and the opportunity was used to perform tests with the rocket. When it passed over South Africa it was stated that the concentric rings / bubbles were caused by venting of fuel during the tests, or firing of “reaction control” motors used to change the orientation or spin of the vehicle. the original story is located here and here.

The December cover of Russian Space and Astronomy Magazine Novosti Kosmonavtiki which featured Mitchell Krog's images.

The Finland Astronomy Magazine Tähdet Ja Avaruus December Cover which featured Mitchell Krog's Spacecraft Images.

"Excitement Rockets After OtherWorldly Sighting" - The Front Page of The Star Newspaper on October 20, 2009 which featured Mitchell Krog's Bubbling spacecraft image.

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International Space Station ISS Photographed in South Africas Night Skies

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:54:50 +0000

South African Photographer Mitchell Krog on Sunday 30th of August 2009 captured the International Space Station (ISS) flying across the night skies of Southern Africa. Mitchell, an award-winning photographer and specialist in Astro-Photography had selected his location for the shoot several days beforehand and planned things well in advance. At 6:51pm, a time specified by the Johannesburg Planetarium, the ISS appeared as a bright yellow star low on the horizon and in a matter of a minute was already directly overhead and out of the frame. Through his past experiences with photographing astronomical events Mitchell had everything in place to pull of the image below which shows the International Space Station like a shooting star across the sky. Says Mitchell, the Space station was moving at an incredible speed and those people who did not take the time of viewing this event seriously would have missed it had they come outside a minute later. It moved across the sky from horizon to horizon in under 2 minutes. The conditions for this particular glimpse of the ISS were nothing short of perfect, the moon was currently waxing around a half moon phase giving just enough light to illuminate the foreground. The Space Station moved from the horizon in the S-S-W to the horizon in the N-E in approximately 2 minutes.

The International Space Station Fleeted Across the South African Night Skies on The 30th of August 2009 at 6:51pm. From Mitchell Krog's AstroPhotography Portfolio. (Copyright Mitchell Krog - All Rights Reserved)

More photos from other astro-photographers here.

A discussion on the SARL web site here.

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Centaur Rocket “UFO” spectacle images featured in international astronomy magazines – Novosti Kosmonavtiki and Tahdet Ja Avaruus

International Space Station ISS Photographed in South Africas Night Skies