Strange pulse of light near Draco tonight

[The Darkest Star]

Hi,

After driving home this evening a had a look up at the sky to see if it was decent for observing later when a bright flash caught my eye and I can't explain what it was.

It was near Draco at about 9:37pm (BST). It was like a quick, growing circle of white light, which faded as quick as it appeared, probably about 1 second. It was far brighter than Venus and didn't move in any sort of direction. I've seen quite a few irridium flares and the flash was more sudden than those. I've also seen a few meteors and this thing didn't streak across the sky.

Did anyone else see it? Anyone know what it could have been? My location is 10 miles east of Edinburgh, Scotland.

I have made an image of where I saw it, which is attached. The pulse came from where I have put the red circle.

[Capricorn]

Well there was an iridium flare due north of you at 21:39 which would match almost exactly.

Cannot locate any idea for the duration, could have been a short one.

Iridium 59 by the way.

[The Darkest Star]

I thought it may have been that one but the light was from a different direction. I would estimate 60 degrees high and due west around 280 degrees. About 5 degrees below the head of Draco

[Capricorn]

Just seemed very coincidental.

There are other flares that are not as distinct as Iridium satellites, and I once knew the site that specified them or at least some. However once is all I ever tried it and I never bookmarked it.

Another option is something going into the earths shadow, although 21:30 ish would not really imply a plane. I used to see many bright "flares" in the morning going to work, the sun was bouncing off of aircraft going into Stansted. Oddly they did not last long either but both of us were moving.

Also quite a few bright objects have been helicopters, usually police or traffic ones that remain stationary then turn and just disappear.

There is an aircraft that comes over my house about 10:45pm, straight towards me and the time I have looked out wondering what that star/planet is happens to be innumerable. Strange flight path and strange time and just the one per day as a rule. Have flightplan24 so may try to identify one day if I remember. So a turning aircraft inbound from Canada/US could be it also, you would see the lights on the front for a few seconds then it disappears.

[tom1]

hi,i also think i saw this last night, what i saw i thought was a iridium but it flared up 2 too 3 times.never seen them do this before,ive only seen them flair once

[JB80]

Is it possible it could of been a head on meteor?

I have never seen one for comparison but we are a few days away from the peak of the Draconids shower.

http://earthsky.org/...ds-boom-or-bust

I would put my vote down for this one.