Iridium Flares

[kerrylewis]

The other evening just about sunset time I saw from my living room a very bright flare in the clear blue sky. I immediately assumed that it was an aircraft catching the sun but I went outside and could not see any sign of one following the flare. So I checked the Iridium flare predictions and although there was not one to match what I had seen, there was coincidentally (?) a very bright one (mag -6.7) predicted for the same part of the sky but 20 mins later. I duly saw that one - my first that could be described as in daylight, but it was not as bright as the first. Interesting. Perhaps the first was just a plane but at least it did lead me to the later one. I am always intrigued by how amazingly accurate the predictions are. 

[Stub Mandrel]

Two nights ago I saw two 'things' cross the night sky about an hour or so apart. The 'flashed' in a pattern, but all white and moving far to fast for an aeroplane.

I assume these were 'tumbling' satellites, possibly the same one?

I still haven't seen an Iridium flare.

[kerrylewis]

Two nights ago I saw two 'things' cross the night sky about an hour or so apart. The 'flashed' in a pattern, but all white and moving far to fast for an aeroplane.

I assume these were 'tumbling' satellites, possibly the same one?

I still haven't seen an Iridium flare.

If you get one of the smartphone or tablet apps or alternatively check the Heavens Above website, I am sure that you will be successful. 

[Pete Presland]

I have seen a lot of these and they very impressive, although not according to my wife!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

[Vox45]

I've seen quite a few and I use "iFlares" from the apple appstore. It's a great app with a nice feature to locate the position of the flare using a kind of heads up display like it a lot.

The last iridium flare I saw was just amazing. I am used to see little flashes, I was not prepared for that one. It started as usual with a small bright dot and then it started to spike a little, then more and more until it was brighter than Venus and bigger than a full moon .. my jaw dropped to the floor ! I don't know if this occurs a lot or if I was at a perfect angle but I've never seen a flare like that... Unfortunatly, no proofs, no witnesses ...

[ronin]

Two nights ago I saw two 'things' cross the night sky about an hour or so apart. The 'flashed' in a pattern, but all white and moving far to fast for an aeroplane.

I assume these were 'tumbling' satellites, possibly the same one?

I still haven't seen an Iridium flare.

Last night while looking for Perseids I saw something "flashing".

Appeared high enough to be a satellite but path was wrong, went West to South but in an arch that was not a satellite path. The even looked a bit "erratic"  as in not smooth but that may have been caused by the flashing pattern. Sort of 2 flashes next to each other then about a 1 second gap, then repeated.

Would like to have an idea what it was.

Assume a high altitude aircraft, likely military at the height and speed.

If you are on the centre path of a flare they can be very bright.

Usually worth looking to see if any are due, something else to look for, even beter if you are at a public event.

I find that Heavens Above is the best for Iridium flares, Calsky will show flares other then Iridium ones, but I do not get on with Calsky - never sure it has my actual position to work from.

[Stub Mandrel]

> Appeared high enough to be a satellite but path was wrong, went West to South but in an arch that was not a satellite path. The even looked a bit "erratic"  as in not smooth but that may have been caused by the flashing pattern. Sort of 2 flashes next to each other then about a 1 second gap, then repeated.

That was pretty much what I saw, but going SSW to NNE.

Several bona-fide satellites and one that looked to short lived to be a satellite I assume was a small meteor heading southwest near Aquila