Bright flash near Pheonix

[Sunfish (Ray)]

Bright flash in the sky just now at the head of Pheonix an Ankara . What causes this? Is that a meteor? No streak , just a very bright flash.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by Sunfish

Bright flash in the sky just now at the head of Pheonix an Ankara . What causes this? Is that a meteor? No streak , just a very bright flash.

It all depends what you call bright?
Was it small or large like venus or Jupiter or just or just a flash like lightning
without streak?
If it was a bright point saurce,then it probably was a face on meteor.
That is directly coming in and not traveling across the sky.
If you have binoculars handy when you see meteors, take a look where it flared with the bino's and you may see the gas remnant floating in the sky.
Not always,but you may just be lucky to spot one.
Cheers

[Sunfish (Ray)]

The flash was much bigger than a planet and lit up a small part of the sky just like a giant camera flash and of that kind of intensity. Earlier I had seen one or two meteors streak by in the same area. So perhaps as you say , a straight on meteor. I will keep my binoculars with me next time. Good advice thanks.

Originally Posted by astroron

It all depends what you call bright?
Was it small or large like venus or Jupiter or just or just a flash like lightning
without streak?
If it was a bright point saurce,then it probably was a face on meteor.
That is directly coming in and not traveling across the sky.
If you have binoculars handy when you see meteors, take a look where it flared with the bino's and you may see the gas remnant floating in the sky.
Not always,but you may just be lucky to spot one.
Cheers