What was that?

[Floater]

At 17.41 GMT we saw a very bright light move swiftly, south to north, over the top of Scheat and Matar, in Pegasus. I’m trying to identify what we saw.

Background: Mrs Floater and I were returning home and having a quick look above at a fairly clear sky (but braced against a telescope defying wind). She spotted it first: ‘that’s moving’ she said, pointing. On seeing this object I said: ‘Anything that bright has to be the ISS. I’ll check it out when we get in.’ However, this very bright light quickly faded, as in Iridium flash style, after 3-4 seconds. And that made me wonder if I was right ...

Clear Outside quickly showed no ISS passover so I thought it must have been a satellite and that I’d easily identify it using Sky Safari. No such luck!

Can anyone shed light on my mysterious light, please? Best I can describe is that it was brighter than Vega.

Was it an Iridium flash? (One of the last ones?) Lat.57N, if that helps.

[Charic]

If it were not for the bad weather, I may have seen the same  thing Gordon, but the fact you saw something is special, considering the weather of late!
Its a good possibility that it was an iridium, but Im sure there are other satellites up there capable of reflecting some Sunlight your way.

It always amazes me the things I see up there, especially the flashes? I've seen so many,  and its the ones that appear to be heading straight towards me,  they are worrying, but never hear  a thud? lol.........Im sure if something did land nearby, it would at least crater or  possibly take out this part of Scotland! 

Not sure you will discover exactly what you saw, but keep looking, as there will be more.

[Floater]

Thanks, Chas. I do always ‘keep looking’.

Like you, I’m always amazed at just how much is moving around up there. It’s just that this one was different. I’ve caught iridium flares before and this, earlier tonight was very similar. But I can’t identify it using my usual tools and in idle(?) moment thought I’d ask the most knowledgeable pool I know.

May have to dig deeper. I’m pretty sure there’s a site that gives chapter and verse on satellite movements.

Gone hunting ... ?

[Guest]

Hi folks

I've been observing for quite a few years (Have observation notes from 1994 !). Anyhow, yep, there's a lot going on up there. I have witnessed phenomena that I still find inexplicable.  But here's the best I've seen and pretty sure about....

Around the early 90's I had the binoculars out and was generally scanning around. Then wow, a fantastic silhouette sweeped into view through the binoculars. It was that classic outline of the Space Shuttle. I can distinctly remember that it was emitting a "contrail" from the nose cone which sweeped back down the body of the Shuttle, probably the re-entry thrusters firing. I must have caught it on its final descent to touchdown.  Incredible. 

[Merlin]

Telescopic meteors come towards us in the field-of-view. It might have been one, depending on the direction of travel.