Thread: what did I see?
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Old May 8th 04, 04:43 AM
Alan French
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Default what did I see?

"Ron Andrews" wrote in message
...
Here's another newbie "what did I see" question. A little after 11

p.m.
EDT this evening (11/7/05) I saw two bright flashes about 15 degrees to

the
right of Polaris. I know there is a website that catalogs visible sky

events
like satellites. I've lost that URL. Can anyone help?


Ron,

www.heavens-above.com

If they were short flashes, they could have been a tumbling satellite. If
they were bright to extremely bright, and lasted for a few seconds, they
could have been Irdiums. These are satellites with a highly reflective
antenna about the size of the door, and when they catch the Sun just right
they briefly "flare" and can become brighter than Venus, although some are
not that bright (it depends on how far from the center line you are). I
once saw a pair that came very close together in time and space.

Anyway, if you set up your location, the site will let you look at both
regular satellites and Irdiums in the past.

Clear skies, Alan