Wondering what this artefact (in screenshot) could be ?
Was imaging M33 on October 18th in LRGB, RGB are each 15 times 120 sec, and this 3 color line showed up.
Clearly a moving object that shifted over a time of 1.5 hrs across the field of view. Can someone direct me to a method to identify this object ?
Plate solving gave this location : 📷 image.png
This is the artefact image :
📷 image.png
Any help is greatly appreciated !
Hans
Salvatore Iovene · Oct 20, 2025 at 08:42 PM
I guess you meant to attach an image or a link?
Nearly geo-stationary then I assume ?
Salvatore Iovene · Oct 20, 2025 at 08:42 PM
I guess you meant to attach an image or a link?
Yes, apologies, attached now.
Carastro · Oct 20, 2025 at 08:51 PM
Small bit of space junk?
Nearly geo-stationary then I assume ?
Nice catch. It likely is the main belt asteroid 2000 SZ318. There are a few ways to do this, I used https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/checkmp.cgi and entered the object coordinates and time (in UT!). I didn’t know the exact time so put half a day either side and this seemed to intersect with the observed coordinates.
Thomas W · Oct 20, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Nice catch. It likely is the main belt asteroid 2000 SZ318. There are a few ways to do this, I used https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/checkmp.cgi and entered the object coordinates and time (in UT!). I didn’t know the exact time so put half a day either side and this seemed to intersect with the observed coordinates.
Thank you Thomas ! This is splendid and helpful information, much appreciated. Now I know where to head whenever I bump into another artefact.