Strange flash light

[Viper]

I was gazing east this morning at capella, mars, Betelgeuse and the atlas cluster. At around 03:25 about 5 degrees to the left of Betelgeuse I witnessed a large flash of light, it seemed to be moving left only for a few degrees or so and then went out but it was very bright. I was just wondering if anybody else had seen it or can explain what it was that i witnessed. The light was very bright and it was white..THANKS

[Naz]

Sounds like an Iridium flare, the solar panels are highly reflective and as the satellite adjusts it's panels they can produce a very bright flash depending on your location and the angle of the panels to the Sun.

You can find out which are visible from your location at Heavens-Above Home Page.

Archie

[Viper]

Thanks for the reply! I wonder which one it was! I live in preston lancashire and it was in the east.

[Naz]

Viper, if you enter your location and click on the Iridium flares "Previous 48 Hrs" that should give you the answer.

Archie

[Tim]

I saw a meteor in that direction at about that time, maybe it was that? It was very brief but very bright.

Cheers

TJ

[Viper]

I've checked up on heavens above and it seems that it was an iridium flare after all.. The co-ordinates and times seem to be right mmm....

I will have to double check by seeing if i can spot another by keeping an eye on the predicted flares that i have found on heavens above. I'll keep you up to date on my findings.. OVER AND OUT....

[Viper]

After seening the pictures of satilites on the imaging forum i dont think my sighting was a flare. The reason being is that the pictures that ive seen are long and thin and the light i had seen was similiar but wider and fatter.. Maybe it was the glare i dont know...

[jgs001]

What you see in an image, you won't see by eye. The image is taken over a period of time, and you will see the track of the satellite. By eye, you will see a spot that suddenly brightens and fades away as it moves across the sky. It sounds like a flare to me.

[Tantalus]

I pretty sure it was an Iridium flare you saw - I saw the same satellite flaring the following morning, just below Betelgeuse. Checked Heavens above... Iridium85 if my memory serves me well .