What did I catch?

Went out to try to photograph K2. Looked at my first photo and thought, "Boy that was easy!" But I never got it again, so I reckon it's something else. Meteor? That's an airplane in the second photo, the streak in the first looks nothing like the plane. For perspective, the claws of Scorpius are in the lower left corner of each photo.

I didn’t realize how hard it is to see on a small screen, so here’s a cropped version.

Terry McDaniel wrote in post #19405906
I didn’t realize how hard it is to see on a small screen, so here’s a cropped version.

Hosted photo: posted by Terry McDaniel in
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forum: Astronomy & Celestial

It looks like a meteor to me, but I'm no expert.

It could possibly be a satellite.

Capn Jack wrote in post #19405920
It looks like a meteor to me, but I'm no expert.

I am next to it. Satellite trace has same brightness and width on hole length like chalk steak on blackboard. Meteor has max brightness at the end of it's journey.

First looks like meteor, second airplane strobes. Typically satellites have a more stable streak that is well defined along the edges and doesn't taper the way the first shot does; satellites, also, typically, continue across the frame (and frames, if I'm clear here) as you see with the plane in the second shot instead of burning out partway through a single frame as it looks like the first one did.

Edit: I also just learned that we're in the Perseid meteor cloud at the moment until the end of August; so, that much more likely.

Slagrim wrote in post #19406149
I am next to it. Satellite trace has same brightness and width on hole length like chalk steak on blackboard. Meteor has max brightness at the end of it's journey.

Satellites can also show variable brightness. Some sats are tumblers or slow rotators that vary their brightness. Also, when a satellite first comes into or out of the reflection path of the sun it can ramp up or down in brightness.

SiriusDoggy wrote in post #19407600
Satellites can also show variable brightness. Some sats are tumblers or slow rotators that vary their brightness. Also, when a satellite first comes into or out of the reflection path of the sun it can ramp up or down in brightness.

Totally agree with your statement, but, if you look on the second picture (right under airplane traces) you will see real satellite trace. That what meant in my fist comment. On the first picture I see exposure time was 5sec. Let assume satellites (in most) orbiting the Earth at ~240km above sea level at speed ~7.7km/sec. For 5sec it moves ~38.5km (again, it is very rough calculation). Now, we have triangle with sides 240km, 38.5km, 240km. Knowing three triangle sides calculation says: the angle satellite moves for 5sec will be roughly 9.2 degrees. Fool Moon angle size is ~ 0.5 degrees. So, regardless of brightness change, the satellite will make the trace of 18 Moons in length! Obviously, it did not happened on the first picture. that is why I was leaning toward meteorite version.