Something odd...

Sammas · #1 26-12-2007, 11:35 PM

I just saw something I have never seen before. Out to the NW (saw around 300* az) at about 11.05 from Canberra, probably around 20* above the horizon I looked up and saw a bright star. It was brighter than Mars (I'd just been looking at Mars) - maybe somewhere around Venus in magnitude. Then, as I watched it faded to invisible over a period of about 3-5 seconds.

I have never seen anything like it. My guess is that it was a meteor of some kind, but it didn't explode (I've seen fireballs end) - it faded much more like a satellite does. Unlike a staellite, it appeared to be completely stationary. Heavens above didn't have a record of anything with that kind of magnitude passing at that time - I'm pretty confident it was not a satellite. There were no clouds and it was not a plane (light was v. bright, staionary and not flashing at all).

Did anyone else see this thing? Can anyone hazard a guess as to what it may have been?

This is a somewhat (melo)dramatic first post to the forums - have been lurking for months

astroron (Ron) · #2 26-12-2007, 11:46 PM

What you probably saw was an aircraft coming straight on with its lights on that was quite far away. then it turned them off, I have seen this happen on many occasions.
It can take the aircraft upto ten minutes to come close enough to see its lights or hear it.
Did you use bino's to look for it after the light went out?
It always pays to carry a pair of binoculars

I hope this helps

Ron

Sammas · #3 26-12-2007, 11:51 PM

Thanks Ron. That's quite plausible - although the way the light dimmed was odd - it was quite slow, as if someone was turning down a dimmer switch. I guess if the plane changed its heading, that could account for it.

Unfortunately I didn't have any binos at hand - shame!

Rob_K · #4 27-12-2007, 12:03 AM

Sammas, it was almost certainly an Iridium flare, from Iridium 72. A mag -4 flare was visible from Canberra at just after 11pm, alt 18 degrees and az 296 degrees, right where you put it. Check Iridium flares in Heavens-Above and you will find it. The stationary business was probably just an illusion.

Cheers -

Sammas · #5 27-12-2007, 01:08 AM

Rob, that would be it, for sure. It's the right spot and time - thanks very much! I've not really looked for them before since I thought it would be too touch and go - I'm glad I saw one, even if it was by accident

Really great night for the first night sky I've seen in weeks - thanks for the forum updates guys and for solving this one for me!