<p>One satellite made a close pass at 1310h local time, according to Stellarium, but it didn't transit the Sun:
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/9JCHbcKN.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/9JCHbcKN.png" alt="Screenshot of Stellarium showing view of Sun from Jackson, Missouri at 1310h on April 8th, 2024" /></a>
Beidou-3 M11 (C25) can be seen moving slowly downwards, transiting the Moon but not the Sun.<br />
The other satellite in the screenshot, Raduga 19, appears to be geostationary.</p>
<p>As @JohnHoltz comments, it's unlikely that you'd have been able to see it with the naked eye.</p>
<p>You can check this yourself by downloading the free program <a href="http://stellarium.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Stellarium</a> and configuring it to show satellites and downloading up to date satellite data.<br />
It's possible that if you input your exact location then the satellite did indeed transit the Sun from your PoV at that location. However the object you saw went from bottom to top, and this satellite went in the other direction.</p>
<p>Another possibility is that you saw a satellite which isn't in the public data sources used by Stellarium.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-06-03T12:12:27.577Z
Thanks for the detailed answer. In the end, I think we probably saw a bird.
Tyson Williams
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-06-03T01:24:09.480Z
2024-06-03T01:24:09.480Z
Aaron F
<p>While viewing the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Missouri" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Jackson, MO</a>, when the moon had eclipsed about 20% of the sun (the bottom-right part), my friend and I both observed with our naked eyes (behind solar glasses) something transit the sun.  The transit went from bottom to top and was left of center.</p>
<p>What satellite was that?  Is there a website that can assist in answering such a question?</p>
<p>Does the transit being vertical mean the satellite's orbit is over the poles?</p>
<p>EDITED TO ADD:
Looking at the animation of the eclipse for Jackson, MO from <a href="https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse-cities/city/23752.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this page</a>, I think the transit happened around 1:00 PM.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-12T16:55:25.013Z
I think a satellite would be too small to see without magnification. Even the ISS is pretty small compared to the size of the Sun. For example, were you able to see the sunspot (near the center of the Sun) with the naked eye? That's approximately how large the ISS would appear. The majority of other satellites are much smaller.
JohnHoltz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-04-13T03:42:51.470Z
Yes, I could see that sun spot.  Maybe it was a bird then. That is so much less interesting though :(
Tyson Williams
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-06-03T20:04:02.153Z
Somewhat related question in this video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQF51mqzrY4
user2705196
<the-sun><amateur-observing><artificial-satellite>
Unknown satellite transit during solar eclipse on April 8, 2024
Tyson Williams
# Unknown satellite transit during solar eclipse on April 8, 2024

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-04-10)

While viewing the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse from [Jackson, MO](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Missouri), when the moon had eclipsed about 20% of the sun (the bottom-right part), my friend and I both observed with our naked eyes (behind solar glasses) something transit the sun. The transit went from bottom to top and was left of center.

What satellite was that? Is there a website that can assist in answering such a question?

Does the transit being vertical mean the satellite's orbit is over the poles?

EDITED TO ADD:
Looking at the animation of the eclipse for Jackson, MO from [this page](https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse-cities/city/23752.html), I think the transit happened around 1:00 PM.

**Tags:** the-sun, amateur-observing, artificial-satellite
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think a satellite would be too small to see without magnification. Even the ISS is pretty small compared to the size of the Sun. For example, were you able to see the sunspot (near the center of the Sun) with the naked eye? That's approximately how large the ISS would appear. The majority of other satellites are much smaller.  
> **username_0**: Yes, I could see that sun spot.  Maybe it was a bird then. That is so much less interesting though :(  
> **username_2**: Somewhat related question in this video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQF51mqzrY4  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2024-06-03. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

One satellite made a close pass at 1310h local time, according to Stellarium, but it didn't transit the Sun:
[![Screenshot of Stellarium showing view of Sun from Jackson, Missouri at 1310h on April 8th, 2024](https://i.sstatic.net/9JCHbcKN.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/9JCHbcKN.png)
Beidou-3 M11 (C25) can be seen moving slowly downwards, transiting the Moon but not the Sun.  
The other satellite in the screenshot, Raduga 19, appears to be geostationary.

As @JohnHoltz comments, it's unlikely that you'd have been able to see it with the naked eye.

You can check this yourself by downloading the free program [Stellarium](http://stellarium.org/) and configuring it to show satellites and downloading up to date satellite data.  
It's possible that if you input your exact location then the satellite did indeed transit the Sun from your PoV at that location. However the object you saw went from bottom to top, and this satellite went in the other direction.

Another possibility is that you saw a satellite which isn't in the public data sources used by Stellarium.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the detailed answer. In the end, I think we probably saw a bird.  

---

