N is at the top, E is to your L.

The wow signal came from one of those two red ovals (the exact location is uncertain, due to ambiguity of the receiving antenna). The ovals are approximately 3 minutes of RA (time) apart, and 40′ of Dec (arc) tall.

Both ovals would fit easily in a box 60′ (one degree of arc) square centered at Dec 26d 57′ S, RA = 19h 27m. Remember, the full moon is 30′ of arc in diameter.

The contrail runs in a roughly 110deg (just S of E) direction along the -27d Declination line from about RA 19h 30 to 19h 24m. I.e., it cuts right through both those little red ovals.

Does this mean anything? Probably not, but it still got my attention.

A comet in our neighborhood would show a nucleus, which would be smeared by motion during the time exposure.

The most likely explanation, a meteor, is a long shot, but at least physically possible, without having to resort to any X-file explanations. BTW, I edited my second post while you were answering it, you might want to re-read it.

A comet and a passing meteor breaking apart are both good possibilities, and the odds of capturing such a shot would be — I do have to say it — astronomical.

Make sure you select the largest possible display size, 60′ x 60′, The trail is at the bottom of the image and unless you blow it up to the max you’ll miss it. The download is large, it covers a square of sky one degree on a side, big enough to fit two full moons.

Make sure you pick the correct coordinates, in J2000.

The RA can be typed in as 19 27 (with a space between the “19″ and the “27″, the Dec is -27, the minus sign puts it in the Southern hemisphere. Remember, when scanning about, a minute of RA (time) is 15 times the size of a minute of Dec (arc).

I used the GIF format.

These images are time exposures through a telescope onto photographic emulsion painted on glass plates, which are later scanned digitally to form a seamless database of the entire sky.

I know it’s there because the guy at STSCI wrote back in response to my query and said he could see it clearly. He believes its a meteor trail, although that would mean the time exposure began immediately AFTER the meteor went by and winked out (or it would have left a sharp, bright or overexposed flare, but just BEFORE the trail dissipated, which only takes a few seconds. I suppose its possible, but its a stretch.

He says he’s going to have his POSS expert take a look at it. Keep me posted on what you find.