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.
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