Unknown bright satellite

[koputai]

I just wandered out into the backyard and looked up (as you do) and there was a VERY bright satellite cruising across the sky. It was approximately magnitude -0.5 (similar brightness to Canopus) and moving at a medium pace about 40 degrees above the SW horizon, heading south. The only other satellites I've seen with similar brightness and speed have been the shuttles, ISS, and good old Mir. The shuttle and ISS have separated, but are currently over South Africa, so they're out. I have no idea what else it may have been. Heavens-above gives no clues. Interesting.

Cheers,
Jason.

[Mick]

Hi Jason,

Did you check for Iridium's in your location on Heavens-above?
Sometimes they remain bright after flaring.

Don't know how close the following is to your location but if you moved 56km from there to the west, Iridium 30 would have been -6 heading south.

Sydney ( 33.8830°S, 151.2170°E)
19 Feb 21:32:24 -1 10° 185° (S ) 56.7 km (W) -6 Iridium 30

[koputai]

Hi Mick,
Yeah I saw that one, but from my place it would have reached a maximum of 12 degrees above the horizon, whereas this thing was 40 degrees or so. It was also travelling slower than the usual Iridiums, pretty much the same speed as the ISS does.
There were no other Iridiums around. It was 22:40 Sydney time too, a time for which it's unusual to see such a bright low satellite.

Cheers,
Jason.

[citivolus]

The only thing I can find in that orbit is ISIS 1, but the magnitude is wrong for that satellite unless it flares.

[koputai]

Yeah, there was no flaring with this fella, it was a constant brightness across about 45 degrees of the sky.

Cheers,
Jason.

[middy]

Maybe it was that out of control spy satellite that is currently tumbling back to Earth. :shrug::shrug:

[koputai]

Nope, checked that and it was a long way away.

Cheers,
Jason.

[anthony.tony]

It's not that US spy satellite its gettiong lower in orbit and is getting brighter. the yanks are going to have a go at shooting it down. tony

[anthony.tony]

In the states on Space weather .com people witnessed a object travelling along then a massive flare up /.check out space weather.com