2010-01-02

Satellite Flyby?

Date: 2010-01-01
Time: 23:34:40 UT
Location: Snellville, GA
Observing: Naked eye
Object: Possible satellite
Seeing: 3 (but very unsure).
Atmosphere:  Very clear and very cold.

While watching the stars come out a satellite passed left to right just under Per and above Aur.  On the sky it was actually travelling nearly due south.    I saw it fade into view.  It was moving nearly parallel to the horizon, i.e., at a constant altitude.

Here's the tweet.

Satellit passing left to right through Per. Est about mag 3. 2010-01-01 23:34:40 +0000

(I mistyped Satellite).

Consulting star charts and the nearby stars, it seems it was more like mag=4.

Also, a few minutes before this I saw a brief flash in the same area. This was a quick moving flash, that was at least as bright as mag=1 and probably more like zero or brighter. It probably lasted a little less than a second and was moving. It probably moved, I'd guess, maybe a degree or two during that time. But that's a very rough estimate. It was difficult to see since it was among bare, winter tree limbs. I assumed it was a meteor or a satellite flare. It was actually in the same vicinity as the other sighting, between Per and Aur.

Notes entered 2010-01-02 17:06 UT.