flashing in the night sky

[jane1098]

last night while sitting outside (around 9.30pm) i saw a bright flash in the sky then nothing but faintly saw something moving around. i saw it twice again after that then lost it. i know it wasn't a plane because the flash was far too bright and it wasn't moving like a plane does. it also seemed too bright for it to be a satellite and i've never seen on flash like that either.... unless the satellite was taking pictures.... any ideas of what i saw?. i'm stumped

[Gromit]

Most likely to be the International Space Station (ISS). It appears very bright in the hours after sunset. Or it may have been the European Jules Verne cargo supply vessel which is due to dock with the ISS later this week, it is in the same orbit.

[Gromit]

More info here

http://www.esa.int/esaMI/ATV/SEMIUAR03EF_0.htm l

[jane1098]

thanks gromit.
i thought it might of been an irdium flare but i can't find evidence of one for last night.

[gen2]

Any satellite with a large flat area such as a solar panel can reflect sunlight just like someone using a mirror to reflect sunlight across the earth's surface causing a bright flash to be seen by an observer.

Telecommunications satellites have such large panels and are frequently the cause of such flashes. The commonest are the iridium flares.

You can find out about Iridium Flares and their predicted times and locations on this site:

http://www.heavens-above.com/

[jane1098]

thanks gen2
thats the website i have so i checked again and from what it says it may well of been an iridium flare.
i don't know too much about these flare charts but i'm learning............slowly.

[mibn2cweus]

keep looking up

[jane1098]

cheers mibn. i will
i find it hard to differentiate between them all.

[bazwillrun]

its the recce craft from the alien invasion fleet