Strange 'flash' in Cygnus constellation 28th Sep.

KazDub · 29-09-2011 2:24pm #1

Ok, I know what a satellite passing overhead is, I know what a high altitude plane looks like, believe me when I say that I've spent many years looking at the night sky and would be fairly confident in knowing what most of the common objects look like. However, lastnight I was stumped. I was sitting outside at arount 10pm and happened to glance up towards the Cygnus constellation. I saw a bright flash which lasted only a moment. It was not a streak of light, it was as though I was looking at it head on. Although it lasted only a second it was the kind of 'flash' you'd associate with a camera flash, starts off small, gets bigger and disappears. If it was a meteor then it was travelling in a direction that directly was headed to where I was, in that there was no tail, no streak, nothing. It really was like there was something up there with a big, bright camera (conspiracy forum take note!

. It was a purely white light, not yellow in any way. I kept an eye out for a while but saw nothing else. Was there anyone else out looking in that direction at around that time last night. Perhaps it really was a meteor heading straight towards me and I saw it from a head-on position, but it was such an unusual sight I'd like to know if other people have witnessed them from that kind of an angle.

Any takers?

Edit:
Just saw mention of Iridum flares in another post. I had considered this, but having never seen one wasn't sure. Guess I have now, unless there's another explanation.

Zubeneschamali · 29-09-2011 4:23pm

KazDub wrote: »

Just saw mention of Iridum flares in another post. I had considered this, but having never seen one wasn't sure. Guess I have now, unless there's another explanation.

www.heavens-above.com says no, there was no Iridium flare last night at 10. Flares last more than a second anyway, and you can usually see the non-flaring satellite for a while before and after if it's dark out.

KazDub · 29-09-2011 4:41pm

I had considered that already. I'd seen a satellite about 20-30 minutes prior to that, it was a clear night so I should have at least seen the dimmer version of that same satellite up to and after the moment that the flare took place.
Guess it's just one of those things I'll never know. Strange one at that.

Rubecula · 29-09-2011 8:37pm

One possibility is a police helicopter testing the "Night sun" Apparently they flash it to make sure it is working.

KazDub · 29-09-2011 11:20pm

No, I've seen them in action using search lights, it wasn't them. It was definitely low earth orbit rather than high flying chopper. This was far too high and was not a beam of light. Maybe the alien invasion is about to start after all.

-Trek- · 29-09-2011 11:30pm

What you saw was swamp gas from a weather balloon that was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus.

Now look at me

board.eddy · 29-09-2011 11:43pm

-Trek- wrote: »

What you saw was swamp gas from a weather balloon that was trapped in a thermal pocket and reflected the light from Venus.

Now look at me

damn that link is blocked from me in work, whats in it trek ?

EarlERizer · 30-09-2011 12:06am

KazDub wrote: »

Ok, I know what a satellite passing overhead is, I know what a high altitude plane looks like, believe me when I say that I've spent many years looking at the night sky and would be fairly confident in knowing what most of the common objects look like. However, lastnight I was stumped. I was sitting outside at arount 10pm and happened to glance up towards the Cygnus constellation. I saw a bright flash which lasted only a moment.

Glad I found this, I saw it too , but I thought it was later? nearer 10.45 - 11pm or thereabouts, I was sat outside having a smoke before heading to bed, I was looking up at the ISS? (the big bright fecker thats been visible for the last month), looking out towards the east (I'm in Tallaght) over the mountain where the Hellfire club is, it was a very quick 'falling flash' of light, looked very white with a blueish tail.

I'm not well versed in whats what up there but like you I've spent years staring up at the night sky,I've seen shooting stars/falling stars and such but this was nothing like them.

And before the usual come along - It wasnt a latern,nor a plane and I'm pretty sure it wasn't a flare, it was up there amongst the stars.

dare I say it, it was like the instant they hit 'warpdrive' - as quick as, as bright as but one direction.

Zubeneschamali · 30-09-2011 7:51am

EarlERizer wrote: »

the big bright fecker thats been visible for the last month

That would be Jupiter.

EarlERizer · 30-09-2011 8:06pm

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

That would be Jupiter.

Is it? seriously,it's the brightest 'star' at the mo but it looks too close to be a star/planet....it's been visible through thin cloud too

.... seems to get bigger/brighter every now n again......dont know why i thought it was the ISS or a sattelite

Popoutman · 01-10-2011 1:24am

Sounds just like a head-on meteor. I've seen one before, and there are all-sky camera footage videos on youtube that have examples of head-on meteors visible on them. There's also a famous photo of the 1966 leonids that has 3 head on meteors in the photo as well.

KazDub · 01-10-2011 12:35pm

It seems that the head-on meteor that I had thought of is actually looking like the most liable cause. I found a grainy image of one caught on camera and although not as pure white as the one I saw seems to be pretty much identical.

thanks for the pointer Popoutman

Hal1 · 02-10-2011 6:51pm

A sprite, iridium flare, or a meteor.

derra · 03-10-2011 10:45pm

EarlERizer wrote: »

Is it? seriously,it's the brightest 'star' at the mo but it looks too close to be a star/planet....it's been visible through thin cloud too .... seems to get bigger/brighter every now n again......dont know why i thought it was the ISS or a sattelite

Download Stellarium Glen and you will impress the masses.
http://www.stellarium.org/

F6, set your location and your good to go

EarlERizer · 03-10-2011 10:56pm

derra wrote: »

Download Stellarium Glen and you will impress the masses.
http://www.stellarium.org/

F6, set your location and your good to go

:eek: Download? for free? ...Is it legal Derra? ya know me, I wouldn't be into that illegal downloading stuff

lol

Nice one man.....so it's not just me then? the 90's had you staring into the night sky too?

Thanks for the link D.

derra · 03-10-2011 11:05pm

EarlERizer wrote: »

:eek: Download? for free? ...Is it legal Derra? ya know me, I wouldn't be into that illegal downloading stuff lol

Nice one man.....so it's not just me then? the 90's had you staring into the night sky too?

Thanks for the link D.

No worries Glen.
Have downloaded loads of free documentaries over the years to keep me amazed at above and beyond.

Some nights ya might lucky on this site and get a real time view of above.
http://www.nightskiesnetwork.com/
Yes it's free lol.

EarlERizer · 03-10-2011 11:30pm

derra wrote: »

No worries Glen.
Have downloaded loads of free documentaries over the years to keep me amazed at above and beyond.

Some nights ya might lucky on this site and get a real time view of above.
http://www.nightskiesnetwork.com/
Yes it's free lol.

Not really a fan of their stuff D lol prefer the harder underground scene!

Fair play buddy,will look into it.....the link & space.

But,on a seroius note, I've always been fascinated by the stars,space n whats out there and why we're here.....I have my own beliefs n theories lol but I'll keep them to myself for now!

rccaulfield · 05-10-2011 7:32am

EarlERizer wrote: »

Not really a fan of their stuff D lol prefer the harder underground scene!

Fair play buddy,will look into it.....the link & space.

But,on a seroius note, I've always been fascinated by the stars,space n whats out there and why we're here.....I have my own beliefs n theories lol but I'll keep them to myself for now!

How is much more interesting then why! Why is a man made idea!

EarlERizer · 05-10-2011 4:21pm

rccaulfield wrote: »

How is much more interesting then why! Why is a man made idea!

Ok, maybe 'how' would be a better question, if 'why' is man made what is 'how'?

Regardless as to the question been 'How' we're here or 'why' we're here , we're here but it's my belief that we're not indigenous.

Hal1 · 05-10-2011 11:51pm

There was a story run on liveline about bright lights in the sky near Kildare / Galway.
Podcast here: Link or listen through the site here . Anyone else hear about or see something similar? There is a video somewhere if I can find it.

tuxy · 06-10-2011 2:32am

EarlERizer wrote: »

Is it? seriously,it's the brightest 'star' at the mo but it looks too close to be a star/planet....it's been visible through thin cloud too .... seems to get bigger/brighter every now n again......dont know why i thought it was the ISS or a sattelite

If you have a cheap pair of binoculars point it at that bright thing. If you can keep your arms steady enough you will be able to see at least one of Jupiter moons

Zubeneschamali · 06-10-2011 8:27am

Hal1 wrote: »

There was a story run on liveline about bright lights in the sky near Kildare / Galway.
Podcast here: Link or listen through the site here .

Here it is. Parachute flares, I think.

Hal1 · 06-10-2011 10:53am

I found the clip and there's nothing unusual about them. Some smoke can be seen from the trails of them. I wouldn't like to imagine the mass panic if anything ET did happen.

Here's what the caller seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GChtafCSm9s

C130 flare's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkY6ValmvTo

ps200306 · 17-10-2011 10:40pm

I wouldn't rule out an Iridium flare. To whoever said they looked it up on heavens-above, the ground tracks for those flares are only a few km wide. The OP could easily have seen a flare that wasn't visible to you. Head-on meteor sounds possible too though. I've seen plenty, and they're always a bit disconcerting.

Calibos · 18-10-2011 2:33am

Hal1 wrote: »

I found the clip and there's nothing unusual about them. Some smoke can be seen from the trails of them. I wouldn't like to imagine the mass panic if anything ET did happen.

Here's what the caller seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GChtafCSm9s

C130 flare's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkY6ValmvTo

Did ye read all the comments on Youtube for the first vid saying 'Obviously Chinese Lanterns'?

I don't believe I am going to say this but.......

"Definately wasn't a Chinese Lantern, I know what a chinese lantern looks like. It didn't move like a chinese lantern"

"Orange/red ball of fire you say?"

"Yeah, but........I know it wasn't a chinese Lantern"

LOL, Ironically in this particular case even the people suggesting it was chinese lanterns have never obviously seen one

Strange 'flash' in Cygnus constellation 28th Sep.

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