What did I see?

goldenwonder

About 01:15 Saturday morning I was looking at the clear sky over dublin. Just as I looked about 80 degrees up from south facing, I spotted a light much brighter than any star, moving north. I figured it was a massive/close satellite because of its velocity. But as it moved overhead it's intensity faded to nothing in a few seconds.
What was it?

Zubeneschamali

An Iridium satellite.

According to heavens-above.com:

Flare Details
Date: 08 August 2015
Time: 01:17:09
Brightness: -8
Altitude: 47°
Azimuth: 209°
Satellite: Iridium 98
Distance to satellite: 1031 km
Angle off flare centre-line: 0.1°
Distance to flare centre: 1 km
Flare producing antenna: forward
Sun altitude: -20.3°
Angular separation from Sun: 142.9°

folamh

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

An Iridium satellite.

According to heavens-above.com:

Flare Details
Date: 08 August 2015
Time: 01:17:09
Brightness: -8
Altitude: 47°
Azimuth: 209°
Satellite: Iridium 98
Distance to satellite: 1031 km
Angle off flare centre-line: 0.1°
Distance to flare centre: 1 km
Flare producing antenna: forward
Sun altitude: -20.3°
Angular separation from Sun: 142.9°

That's all well and good, but:

goldenwonder

Thanks. I didn't know about them. I'm glad I didn't get a bunch of plane comments.

Anicka

I can see this in Cork sometimes, too. I love it when the light grows extremely bright and then it slowly fades so it's barely visible. I always pretend that it's an asteroid coming to destroy Earth. Maybe one day I will be right.

goldenwonder

i have to plan to see it again so i can show others.