[polardan]

At 2157AEDST tonight my wife and I were at the nick cave concert at the Myer music bowl in Melbourne.

I noticed in the light polluted mostly dark sky, due north what I asssumed was a satellite at an altitude of approximately 40 degrees and be visible for about 30 seconds moving directly downwards then fade away at about 30 degrees altitude. It was about the same magnitude as Betelgeuse, which was visible above, and brighter than elnath to its left. Castor and Pollux were obscured by the dome.

I thought little of it until 30 seconds or later another one came visible in the same place, travelled over the same arc then disappeared in the same place.

And then another did the same.

And then another appeared and I was watching it my wife said "is that a satellite?" and it disappeared in the same place.

Two more then appeared and disappeared which my wife also saw, confirming that I was not being affected by the interesting "cigarette" odours coming from somebody upwind of us.

All in all six points of light appearing in roughly the same patch of sky, similar brightness and disappearing in the same place over then course of about 4-5 minutes.

Im certain they are not aircraft, no flashing strobes and I am quite familiar with the airways around Melbourne as they were using rwy 16 for arrivals which is not due north of the cbd.

No more were visible after that.

Any thoughts? It's got me stumped.