Bright light @ 8:02pm

[Uranium235]

Was anybody out about 10min ago? I was checking the visibility when I saw what I first thought was the ISS, moving quite quickly north to south - but suddenly it brightened quite a lot. So much in fact that it created a halo in the high clouds before dimming (but still moving). Couldnt have been a plane, it was way too bright.

Its location was in the region of Cygnus.

I came back in to check the satellites on stellarium, but there was nothing to be found near that area.

[palebluedot]

Call NASA and let them know where UARS is

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

[Freff]

Probably parts of the satellite re-entry.

[Uranium235]

It couldnt have been that, not unless its broken up into lots of bits and is now everywhere.

It was very odd though, a brilliant white light. Im just hoping somebody else was out and saw it, otherwise I might think I was going a bit loopy

[jamespels]

In a polar orbit? Sure it wasn't an Iridium flare? Sounds like one as you have described it.

[mickyjd]

I have only seen one iridium flare and it does sound like one but suppose it could have been the satellite what colour was it?

[Uranium235]

It was initially white, then faded to orange. You know, having just seen the news it might well have have been a bit of the satellite as it was reported to have crossed over the UK twice last night. Im not sure if it was a flare since it travelled across a fair portion of the sky.

[andyc277]

The couple of iridium flares i have seen fit your description well. Did the satellite not travel east west wheras the flares i have seen match your north south observation.

[ronin]

Iridium 4 matches the place and time.

23 Sep 20:03:12

Mag: -2

Az: 63°

Direction of obs: 139° (SE )

Central path Information: 21.4 km (W) -8

Satellite: Iridium 4

I assume that you were looking SE at the time, and quite high up. Alsao assumed that you are roughly 52.5N and 2 W (I think that was the numbers I used)

[Celeste]

We saw something on the 23rd, when we were heading back home on the A47 (to Leics) around that time, my daughter noticed it first, saw a white light by the time I got to see it, it was turning orange-ish and moving fast (I guess we were facing west/south west? it was over to our front left) My girl thought it was a plane come down as it appeared to hit the horizon that we could see, my thought was the sattelite but thought no more of it...cos i'm no good with directions or lights in the sky haha...

[yeti monster]

...cos i'm no good with directions or lights in the sky...

Hence taking up astronomy....

[Celeste]

Hence taking up astronomy....

[ronin]

Heavens Above does not give any for the 23rd for around Leics. Used 52.5 N and 1.0W, also tried 0.6W. All guesswork for where you were.

Only says 1 on 24th at 06:26 in the morning.

Find it a bit odd that just the one turns up for a 48 hoiur period.

Didn't H-A used to only display the previous 24 hours? It now says previous 48.

[Uranium235]

Iridium 4 matches the place and time.

23 Sep 20:03:12

Mag: -2

Az: 63°

Direction of obs: 139° (SE )

Central path Information: 21.4 km (W) -8

Satellite: Iridium 4

I assume that you were looking SE at the time, and quite high up. Alsao assumed that you are roughly 52.5N and 2 W (I think that was the numbers I used)

Spot-on Ronin, thats the direction I was looking at (and high up). Though my initial search of heavens above drew a blank on iridium satellites, must look harder in future, thanks!