Bright flash in the sky last night?

I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak, but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?



Just a guess, but possible an Iridium flare?
Check out http://wntapp.cc.utexas.edu/~ecannon/iridium.htm and see whether
the (approx) position for the date matches what you saw, that's for close to
your position I think. There was a flare at 20:38 for time zone -5h.

Dave

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?



Just a guess, but possible an Iridium flare?
Check out http://wntapp.cc.utexas.edu/~ecannon/iridium.htm and see whether
the (approx) position for the date matches what you saw, that's for close to
your position I think. There was a flare at 20:38 for time zone -5h.

Dave

I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

There is lightning that shoot UP. Also any meteorite coming toward you
probably look like that.
And other thing i can think of is afterburner of jet going away from you.
Or home made firework.
Or some military mid air missle test...
And... ufo



"steve s" wrote in message
...
I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north
when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

There is lightning that shoot UP. Also any meteorite coming toward you
probably look like that.
And other thing i can think of is afterburner of jet going away from you.
Or home made firework.
Or some military mid air missle test...
And... ufo



"steve s" wrote in message
...
I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north
when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

those are definite possibilities!
It was way to high for fireworks, even professional ones.
I would like to hope that it was not military.
It did not seem to be flying, I would actually describe it as a star-burst.
just a brief flash.
jojo
;-)


"onegod" wrote in message
...
There is lightning that shoot UP. Also any meteorite coming toward you
probably look like that.
And other thing i can think of is afterburner of jet going away from you.
Or home made firework.
Or some military mid air missle test...
And... ufo



"steve s" wrote in message
...
I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north
when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than
a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was
called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a
streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

those are definite possibilities!
It was way to high for fireworks, even professional ones.
I would like to hope that it was not military.
It did not seem to be flying, I would actually describe it as a star-burst.
just a brief flash.
jojo
;-)


"onegod" wrote in message
...
There is lightning that shoot UP. Also any meteorite coming toward you
probably look like that.
And other thing i can think of is afterburner of jet going away from you.
Or home made firework.
Or some military mid air missle test...
And... ufo



"steve s" wrote in message
...
I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north
when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than
a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was
called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a
streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo

Are iridium flare experiments still being conducted? If so, that's
another possibility.

"jojo" wrote in message ...
those are definite possibilities!
It was way to high for fireworks, even professional ones.
I would like to hope that it was not military.
It did not seem to be flying, I would actually describe it as a star-burst.
just a brief flash.
jojo
;-)


"onegod" wrote in message
...
There is lightning that shoot UP. Also any meteorite coming toward you
probably look like that.
And other thing i can think of is afterburner of jet going away from you.
Or home made firework.
Or some military mid air missle test...
And... ufo



"steve s" wrote in message
...
I saw the white flash also, it seemed to be a bright star to the north
when
I looked up, and then slowly dissipated to nothing, a little longer than
a
second, but I wasn't counting.
Glad someone else saw this, I had forgotten what the phenomena was
called.

"jojo" wrote in message
y.com...
I was observing with the naked eye last night.
There were high clouds and it was early (around 8pm central time)
30n16, 97w45

I was looking in the direction of the big dipper (north)
I saw a one second flash of light in the night sky. It was not a
streak,
but
a flash,
much like a glint of reflection. (but the sky was dark)

If I drew a line left (declination) from Polaris and a line up (ra)
from the big dipper, this would be the approximate location of the
flash.

Anyone know what this was?

Thanks..
jojo