Are they just satellites?

Just a quick question.
A few years ago i noticed star size lights flying across the sky. I was going out most nights and would see up to 20 of these things per night.
They fly pretty quick but never change course. They are not planes as there is no jet sound or flashing lights.
Sometimes they are really bright, like venus, and then they fade to the point you cant see them anymore.
These were all seen at night.
Twice in the daytime me and my family have seen very bright flashes, like a camera going off, in the sky. It flashes and then about 10-30 seconds later, in a different part of the sky, it flashes again. I,ve not seen this for a while but i havent really been looking as much as i used to.
Just wondering if anyone knows what either of these are.

I don't know about the flashes. But Venus is much brighter than a satellite.

The occasions where I've seen satellites passing overhead, it was way out in the country at amateur astronomy gatherings where the sky is very dark, and like you said they're pretty fast and don't change course. But the ones I saw were very dim. I'd estimate an apparent 5th-6th magnitude.

From what I've seen, generally are usually pretty dim gray objects that just move across the sky overhead. If they're gaining speed or losing speed then they aren't satellites. I'm not sure about different colors, as I said the only ones I saw were a dim gray. Depending on orbit height, some might be more illuminated by the sun and appear brighter.

In terms of the camera flashes during the day time, I would guess this would be a reflection of a metal object from a distance, most likely an airplane. I've seen this before as well, especially on a American Airlines plane that is almost entirely "metal" looking with no paint. As it moves, the sun reflects off of it and sometimes will give a reflection right back at you.

I don't know about the flashes. But Venus is much brighter than a satellite.

Venus is much brighter than an ordinary satellite. However, the Iridium satellites can flare to magnitudes considerably in excess of Venus for a few seconds when their reflective panels are suitably aligned with the Sun (-8 or even brighter).

From the descriptions given here, I am certain that he is observing nothing more than satellites.


[edit on 21-5-2007 by Mogget]

The Space Station is often brighter than Venus, and is visible for a few minutes almost every night during the winter months (at least in the Northeast U.S.). Iridium flares can be so bright that they are visible during the day, and cam be positively brilliant at night -- and they only last for a few seconds.
en.wikipedia.org...

So I agree with Mogget (post above):
dim lights = normal satellite,
bright light = space station,
daytime/nightime flashes = iridium flares,
some daytime flashes = sun reflecting off of a high-flying jet.

Not sure about the flashes either but what you described is indeed a average satellite. Now the purpose of the satellite is a different story.

Good info on iridium satellite flares. Never heard of it before.

Neo - as most have stated here, you're almost certainly looking at satellites.

Seeing 20 at once is uncommon but not unheard of. If you click on the link below, you'll go to a site which will show you a map with satellite tracking in real-time of over 8,000 satellites (there are also thousands of other non-satellite objects in orbit that are being tracked). ISS is the default. Real-Time Satellite Tracking on the web...

Many of these satellites (and other objects) are metallic or have reflective surfaces that shine or even "flash" as they glide into or along an orbital path in which the angles from the sun provide the line of sight to your observation point on the Earth/s surface.

Best viewing of satellites is in the few hours before dawn and the few hours after dusk. They will not change velocity or direction, though they may appear to "wink" on or off (which simply means the reflective angle has moved past you, not that the object has 'turned off, changed course, or "disappeared/appeared".

Good luck, have fun, and keep looking up!

[edit: url fix]

[edit on 5/21/2007 by Outrageo]

Thanks for your replies.
I thought they were probably satellites but just wanted to make sure.
Outrageo thanks for the link, very interesting.

your not seeing anything that has been desribed above by the other posters here.

go to this site and you'll see a daylight picture of what you are seeing

www.esnips.com...

look in the photos folder and check out the picture titled Sky Police.

www.myspace.com... - If you cant find it here then go here, the same pic is posted here.

Oh, and one of the Companys flying them is Blackwater USA( traitors to our free society)