I think I saw a flare from a retired Iridium satellite

[alphamone]

Not sure if this is the right board for this.

Around 7:34pm yesterday (23rd march), I was waiting at a bus stop and just randomly looked up at the sky to see a flaring satellite. Heavens Above didn't have anything listed at negative magnitudes (and it was brighter than a recent -3 ISS flyover) for the entire night in my location, and the flare resembled previous Iridium flares I have watched.

So did I just get lucky and see one of the defunct, but not yet re-entered iridium satellites, or are there other satellites capable of producing similar, but unpredictable flares?

[xelasnave]

Seems you are privileged to be the only one.
A decade ago I was taking a Milky Way widefield and wow there was an Iridium in it...but a I bagged another a week later.
Had a interesting one up North a month ago..I had my back to it (it was Easterly south) but I noticed a shadow on the desk such that I though a car was coming up the drive..I turned to see it dieing but I thought it would be on the news or mentioned here...but it wasnt and I only now remembered it.
Alex

[astroron]

You're right on the second count.
HST,ISSand many other satellites flair to various brightnesses.
Cant vouch if it was an Iridium as you live a long way away from me.
Good spotting anyway.:)
Cheers:thumbsup: