UFO - Anyone know what it was?

[benvz]

Can anyone help me? I've just seen a UFO in the sky, about halfway between beta and gamma cepheus, tracking towards gamma cassiopeia. I don't think it's aliens , but I have no idea what it was. It was a naked eye observation - the object was about mag 1, then flared up to about mag -6, then it faded slightly to about mag -2, then flared again to -6, all in the space of a few seconds. Each flare lasted about 2 seconds. I've checked several databases and tracking apps, but none of them predict any visible Iridium flares until thursday. It also didn't look like a meteor, it wasn't moving nearly fast enough.

Anyone know what it was I just saw?

[benvz]

I meant to put this in: the observation was from near Hemel Hempstead at about 19:21.45 this evening.

[Paul M]

More than probably an Iridium flare. http://www.satobs.org/iridium.html

[benvz]

That's what I figured - just wondering what it was that flared. As I said, can't find anything that was meant to produce a flare tonight.

[Cornelius Varley]

Probably FREGAT/IRIS http://www.heavens-above.com/passdetails.aspx?lat=53.583&lng=-0.648&loc=Scunthorpe&alt=3&tz=GMT&satid=35867&mjd=56356.8084936227

[benvz]

Probably FREGAT/IRIS http://www.heavens-a...6356.8084936227

Unfortunately going the wrong way. Also, nowhere near bright enough.

[ronin]

Heavens Above for 52N -0.5 which should be about you gives under "Daily Predictions for Brighter Satellites" has:

FREEGAT/IRIS for 19:20 passing through Cepheus.

SL-16 R/B is another that went through Cepheus at 19:25 but was visible at 19:21.

Without checking all of them they look likely candidates, sort of right time, right place.

[Paul M]

That's what I figured - just wondering what it was that flared. As I said, can't find anything that was meant to produce a flare tonight.

Sorry I din't read your post properly in the rush to the keyboard to sound knowledgeable!

[benvz]

Sorry I din't read your post properly in the rush to the keyboard to sound knowledgeable!

Fair enough. I doubt you're the ony one guilty of that - I know I'm far from innocent.

I thought it could be USA 234, but the track doesn't seem quite right, and a maximum magnitude of 3.6 is a lot fainter than what I saw, regardless of the fact it isn't likely to produce a flare (and certainy wasn't predicted to).

[benvz]

Heavens Above for 52N -0.5 which should be about you gives under "Daily Predictions for Brighter Satellites" has:

FREEGAT/IRIS for 19:20 passing through Cepheus.

SL-16 R/B is another that went through Cepheus at 19:25 but was visible at 19:21.

Without checking all of them they look likely candidates, sort of right time, right place.

I looked at them too - FREEGAT/IRIS is unfortunately going the wrong way for what I saw.

SL-16 R/B has the right track , but the timing's out by 3 or 4 minutes.

Again, neither of them were predicted to go above mag 3.

Toatlly confused

[Kropster]

Military satellite?.. or a piece of junk?

[dtr42]

wondering if it was a tumbeling satelite which would explain the double flash

[benvz]

wondering if it was a tumbeling satelite which would explain the double flash

That could well be it. That or a piece of space junk, like Kropster suggested. It's the double flash that really intrigued me (along with the not knowing what caused it in the first place).

Also surprised no-one else seems to have seen it - it wasn't exactly subtle.