Did anyone see a flash between ursa major and leo tonight? Between half 7 and half 8?

[pipnina]

I was setting up my scope to image the leo triplet and while talking to my brother I turn to the sky and see what looked like a mag -2 star like brightness, as if it were a planet like Jupiter or venus, pure white in colour. I thought it was odd at first and when I continued to look at it it started to fade, and within 10 or so seconds it was barely visible, a few seconds more and there was nothing to see.

It didn't seem to be moving, so it seems less likely to be a meteor or satellite, unless it was maybe a geostationary one? Are there any kinds of supernovae that are so flash-in-the-pan that they can be so easy to miss if one isn't looking? It would be very unlikely, but exiting to think about.

Wondering if anyone else looking up tonight may have seen it too? I'm down in Plymouth.

Edit: A screenshot showing the area I think I saw it in (I selected the closest star to the event I saw)

Edited February 26, 2022 by pipnina

[mikeDnight]

Initially when you said "flash", I thought it could be a head on meteor entering the atmosphere, but it seems what you saw was longer lasting. Possibly a satellite catching the Sun as it rotates, and may be then going into the earth shadow where it becomes lost. 

[Jiggy 67]

Iridium flare??

[F15Rules]

...or a Chinese Lantern?

Don't laugh, I saw one some years ago and for a good number of seconds it looked like a very bright star, and then petered out..

Dave

[Roy Cropper]

A flash?

 

jpg

Edited March 6, 2022 by Roy Cropper

[jjohnson3803]

On 27/02/2022 at 11:48, Jiggy 67 said:

Iridium flare??

Are Iridium flares still visible?  I read somewhere that they were de-orbited or something.

[Tomatobro]

My UKMON camera looks south and it records zillions of satellites and reflection flashes every night in the few hours just after dark.