think i just saw a meteor?

[Gloris]

was searching for andromeda, and when i found it (quite faint, but definitely there all there same), i was observing it for around 20 minutes, then suddenly an object that looked like a small bright orange star shot accross my view. definitely not a plane, and nothing could be seen with the naked eye when i looked up.

i saw a similar object in my finder scope about a week or so ago, was just lining up jupiter and i saw a bright orange object shooting accross the sky.....this one literally went from the west all the way accross to the south east of the sky, over around 15-20 seconds.

am i right in thinking these are meteors?

they didn't seem to have the typical "tail" that i'd expect from a comet (not that i've seen one in my scope yet....to my knowledge), and i'm fairly certain they were not planes, they were not visable to the naked eye, and had not flashing lights ha ha, just a bright orange coloures object.

bit confused only because i've seen shooting stars with the naked eye, and they always seem to be bright white or sometimes slight blue tint and are there and gone within a second....

[barkis]

Meteors are either in swarms, or showers, and are associated with comet debris from byegone comet passages around the sun.

These showers have the names of the constellation because their radiant, or place where appear to come from at a patricualr time of year. There are the Perseids, Orionids for example.

Other meteors, not associated with the regular showers, are called Sporadics, and can appear any time, and from any direction.

It is probably these types you are seeing.

They do indeed travel at great speed, and in a telescope, your sight of one, would be very brief indeed. Even naked eye, they shoot in, brighten momentarily, then disappear, burned to a minute cinder in earths atmosphere.

Quite possibly, you may have witnessed a satellite crosing the sky.

They move a lot slower across the sky, and may diappear gradually, as they fly into the shadow in space, cast by the earth. Depending on the direction they move.There are hundreds of these satellites in space, so your chances of seeing one in your eyepiece is high, and they will move quickly too, but not as fast as a meteor.

Ron.

[LukeSkywatcher]

over around 15-20 seconds

I think we can rule out a meteor as they typically last only a couple of seconds. Fireballs last longer but can be seen with the naked eye. I think we can even rule out any kind of satellite as they show up as white dots rather then orange.

To be honest, given the length of time it was there and the colour of it.............i think what you saw was a bird with its underneath lit up by the streetlights below.

Ive seen similar things in the past (2-3 at a time) and was told it was a bird(s) being lit up by streetlights.