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Old 18-10-2017, 12:33 AM
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andyc (Andy)
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Sydney
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Sorry, it should be AEDT - I'm guessing you're in QLD and an hour behind my location - Sydney, 10:14UT if you like. I've considered the satellite possibility, but it would have to be exceptionally high orbit to move so slow at that sky altitude (ie GPS sat height or so) but they're not typically that bright, even temporarily? Heavens Above shows no satellites in the right area at the time, though Meteor 1-29 passes not too far away a few minutes later... ultimately it's still the wrong place and time. It's not true that satellites closer to the poles show less movement - tilted and polar orbits have just as much movement across the sky; however satellites closer to the horizon or in very high orbits appear to move more slowly.

Probably was a high satellite somehow, in that it's the most rational explanation not involving v.v. unlikely flares from a red dwarf (can be big & brief) or a GRB (none reported, so that's ruled out!). I like a good mystery, and I've learned a bit about optical transients tonight.
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