Successfully identified an Iridium

[661-pete]

Probably not the first time I've seen one, but hitherto I've rather ignored them - or perhaps mistaken them for slow meteors or aircraft. But on the night in question - 19 April - there were no aircraft flying of course . So when, purely by chance, I saw a bright light low in the NW at 03:49, I noted the exact time and position as best I could judge it. Today I browsed my notes once more, cross-checked with the excellent Heavens Above site, and indeed the time and coordinates exactly match a showing of Iridium 15 at magnitude -6.

Quite pleased to have identified one.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Iridium flares really are quite a sight when you see them. In the last yr i have seen 4 of them purely by chance. Some brighter than others but all impressive.

[Talitha]

Nicely done Pete! I do the same thing with regular satellites, too... mark the time, location and direction and then check the H-A site to see what they were.

TBH, i've seen more Iridiums accidentally than purposefully, but it's fun to go out and wait for a scheduled one.... missed a few though, until i synchronized my watch with the clock on the H-A site.

[red dwalf]

glider and me where round at Doc`s the other night and we were looking up as you do and noticed a couple of satilites over head one of which grew very bright for a few seconds before dimming to normal levels, are these iridium flares ? if so it was my first sighting.

[jah79]

I saw something last night which I think is most probably an Iridium flare. Thought it was a plane at first but then noticed it had no flashing lights, just one very bright white light, like Sirius but bigger and brighter.

But it was moving around same speed as an aircraft and then slowly died in intensity while still high up in the sky. Also travelled from West to East. Could this well be an Iridium flare? Don't they just travel roughly North-South?

[661-pete]

I saw something last night which I think is most probably an Iridium flare. Thought it was a plane at first but then noticed it had no flashing lights, just one very bright white light, like Sirius but bigger and brighter.

But it was moving around same speed as an aircraft and then slowly died in intensity while still high up in the sky. Also travelled from West to East. Could this well be an Iridium flare? Don't they just travel roughly North-South?

If it was moving 'at the same speed as an aircraft' my guess is, it was an aircraft: satellites appear to move much more slowly.

But the data you need is the exact time you saw it, your exact latitude and longitude (Heavens Above site has a handy calculator) and the rough direction in which you saw it - a compass bearing and approximate altitude are good enough.

Even if you only remember the time approximately, it's worth going to Heavens Above. There might be a match.