Just realized a lot of people don't know how to spot a satellite in their star trail shots

I keep seeing photos labeled as 'meteor' or 'plane' that are clearly satellite trails. A satellite line is a steady, unbroken white dash, while a meteor is a colored streak that often fades. Planes usually have a dotted line from blinking lights. It matters because calling it wrong changes the story of the image. I learned this after taking over 200 long exposures from my backyard in Boise. Has anyone else had to correct friends on this, or am I just being picky?

2 comments

2 Comments

cole_bailey859d ago

You're right about the steady line, but I've seen plenty of satellites that flicker or pulse as they tumble.

wren_smith449d ago

My first year shooting in Flagstaff, I must have labeled a dozen tumbling satellites as weird meteors. The key for me was tracking their speed. A tumbling sat still moves at that steady orbital pace, while a real shooting star is just blazing fast.