Wondering about a Bright Flash

[bmayer0122]

Just getting back into astronomy over the last few weeks after taken a couple of decades off. 

We were out tonight, and spent some time looking at Cassiopeia with the eye. There was a point that was 15-20° to the west of Segin that suddenly became bright and went back to nothing in the span of about 5 seconds. I am not sure of the magnitude, but it was a good deal brighter than any star around it. The point did not move.

Any ideas what this could have been?

[Pete Presland]

Sounds a bit like an Iridium flare, but they do normally show an indication of there direction of travel. The phenomenon is caused normally by the solar panels on satellite reflecting sunlight directly onto the Earth below and appearing as a bright flare.

[ronin]

It sounds like an Iridium flare of sorts, the point not moving is the sort of problem.

Iridium satellites flare and there remains the normal satellite brightness (little) but they tend to move as they continue in their orbit.

Besides Iridium Satellites there are others and maybe one of those that has different charactoristics. Geostationary would explain the lack of subsequent movement but they are too far away to show a significant flare and then remain visible by eye.

Problem these days is that thee are a lot of satelites up there all with panels and so potentially flaring, also the sort of one off satellites are not predicted on sites like Heavens Above and Calsky.

If I recall someone in Tx as asking aboiut the same 3 or 4 weeks back.

[bmayer0122]

Interesting, thank you much!

[Ahab]

....or a Bolide coming directly at you and exploding when it entered the atmosphere.