Iridium/Satellite

[long_arms]

Just saw a very bright Satellite, when I first saw it I thought iridium flare as it quickly dimmed.

However I've just come in, checked on heavens above and calsky and nothings coming up?

Was at arooound 23:11 maybe couple of minutes around that time.

Rising from the south, heading straight up northward ish.

I tracked it as far as I could but as I say it was extremely bright so caught my eye then dimmed drastically and continued onward.

My location is basingstoke, hampshire.

Wondering if anyone could figure out what I saw?

Thanks,

Dan

[Cath]

The space station popped up just above the southern horizon (for about a minute) about that time heading NE'ish, so it could have been that, though not sure if it would have been lit up by the sun.

It'll be back round shortly and will rise more above the horizon this time.

http://iss.astroviewer.net/index.php

[phil848]

There was an irdium flare due over at 11.16pm last night...took the wife out to see it but missed it!

[ronin]

Three satelites at around that time going South to North.

ATLAS 5 CENTAUR R/B:

Mag 2.8, Time 23:09:02 Start: 15° Direction: S to ENE

IGS 5A:

Mag 3.8, Time 23:09:06 Start: 16° Direction: S to NNW

Terra:

Mag 2.2, Time 23:11:10 Start: 15° Direction: S to NNW

Try Heavens-above, I used 51.5 N, -1 as Long, set location to UK.

Select the option of Other Bright Satellites

Then gp back to yesterday.

At a guess Terra as it is the brightest.

Wonder what mess that table will come out as ??

It was messy :mad:

[long_arms]

Thanks for the suggestions.

It can't have been the ISS pass

Unfortunately when I said bright I mean REALLY bright. I watched as it came up nearish Saturn and was on a whole other level brightness wise.

I would say at least as bright as a bright ISS pass.

Perhaps a reentering satellite? But it would have had a tail surely? Certainly no tail. Maybe a tumbling iridium or something?

Hmm

Dan

[Paul M]

You'd think that a satellite rising in the south at that time would have been likely to be in shadow then be illuminated as it moved north.

I know it's all about reflection angles and stuff but as most polar orbiting satellite are in Low Earth Orbit that's what I'd expect.

Something that often gets ignored is aircraft landing lights.

I have Manchester airport Terminal Maneuvering the Area to my south east. It's very congested airspace and just like motorists, pilots will often put their landing lights on to allow other aircraft to see them for collision avoidance.

I often see aircraft approaching / crossing the area from the east at low elevations which appear as a bright point source that may often twinkle but be much brighter than most satellites. They move relatively slowly and may fade rapidly as the aircraft turns away from my line of sight.

Landing lights have a surprisingly narrow beam and can disappear from view quite rapidly. Trust me, I'm an ex plane spotter (honest!) and a lifelong stargazer and I was surprised the first few times I saw it.

Airplanes may display their landing lights whenever conflicting traffic is expected or indicated by ATC. I'm sure that some pilots from the same company flash each other in passing in a "hi mate, have a good one" type of way. Sure I've seen this over the Atlantic a number of times.

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[long_arms]

At first I suspected an aircraft but as I tracked it across the sky I realised it can't be. I came inside as it was (albeit a lot dimmer) at the zenith heading north ish.

Point source with no flashes whatsoever. Plus I've never seen a plane coming from that direction from all the nights I've been outside.

Certainly a mystery. I think a tumbling satellite or something perhaps. But the fact it rose from the South does put into question why it was so bright as you say?

Edit: Of course I could be wrong and it was a plane but after the initial brightness as it rose its speed, brightness, height, everything resembled a regular satellite.

Dan

[Bagginsies]

There is a good app out for Android called ISS Detector (not sure what other systems it's on). It will tell you when the ISS will pass visible from your location. It also informs you of Iridium satellites and can tell you comet location as well. I've only had it a few weeks and used it once myself and it was spot on. Saw a nice little flare just above the horizon. Tells you the direction, time, magnitude and the angle it will be seen at.

Could help for future spots.

[Paul M]

At first I suspected an aircraft but as I tracked it across the sky I realised it can't be. I came inside as it was (albeit a lot dimmer) at the zenith heading north ish.

Point source with no flashes whatsoever. Plus I've never seen a plane coming from that direction from all the nights I've been outside.

Certainly a mystery. I think a tumbling satellite or something perhaps. But the fact it rose from the South does put into question why it was so bright as you say?

Edit: Of course I could be wrong and it was a plane but after the initial brightness as it rose its speed, brightness, height, everything resembled a regular satellite.

Dan

For sure there are satellites up there that we don't know much about but given your initial information it sure don't seem to be ISS.

But isn't that the attraction of the night sky? Unanswered questions?

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