Strange Sighting last night

Hey, So last night where I am was exceptionally clear night and I was watching the skies with my relatives. And we sure saw some weird things up there. Pretty much saw atleast 6 moving 'dots' they looked just like a star but I noticed that these would actually move, pretty much in a straight line it seemed. But the weirdest thing about some of them, is that they would flash and blink, BRIGHTLY. Like the brightest flash was bright enough to show its location to me while I was looking in a totally different place for it. Not every one we saw blinked or flashed like this though, only a few did, but there was two distinctive lights, A quick flash and a more pulsing light that went brighter than surrounding stars then dimmed a bit.

We could follow each of these dots we spotted until they completely dimmed or disappeared in the sky, they never 'streaked' across the sky like meteors, they weren't planes like we also saw that night. But they moved at almost the same speed as a plane, but obviously looked like 5x higher altitude, and like I said this lights literally looked like a star does but they creeped over the sky slowly. We discussed what they could have been. A few ideas are, Space Junk, Perseids, Satellites, Or of course, UFOs haha.

So I want to ask, I thought the perseids 'streak' across the sky quickly, is that right?
I thought it would be space junk at first but two lights actually flashed twice themselves so that is odd for a burning piece of junk isn't it?
Satellites seems like a most likely explanation, but again I always thought they moved alot quicker, and do they really pulse or flash up there?
So my thoughts are if its neither of the above, must be aliens ahah. Taking pictures of me and the earth lol.

Any people out here care to discuss?

reply to post by P-M-H


Where do you live? could be military planes. The moving stars I see in my area don't blink. They just reflect Sun's light because they are silvery.

reply to post by swan001


Im in edmonton Alberta.

I dont know how much military activity we get over here, I havent been here long.
But if there is chemicals being sprayed in the air, night would be the best time to do it, and any plane needs some sort of lights on it.

reply to post by P-M-H


Canadian, huh? I am from Quebec! Glad to meet a fellow.

I saw what you described, but when I saw it it wasn't blinking. Really not blinking.

you most likely saw satellites in orbit

while it is already dark in your location the sun is still shining on these while they move

this may also explain why you saw them flashing, cause some rotate around an axis and may directly reflect sunlight from a plane surface like a solar-panel

some satellites can even be tracked and show an effect known as 'Iridium-Flash' which are pretty much predictable

theres a website where you can check when specific satellites may be visible in your location

checkout this one : heavens-above.com/

reply to post by TMJ1972


And, uh, does those satelite travel in packs? I know Iridium is in the area in which I see those things, but no Iridum travel like a pack of wolves.

Last night the stars were scintillating pretty strongly. It's entirely possible that even the satellites were scintillating. I once observed three satellites in delta formation. I never was able to confirm that satellites were sometimes "flown" in formation until 20 years later. I read an article recently about how they were experimenting with flying them in formation in the 80's. Back then, my first thought had been a giant delta shaped object passing over us.

What time were you observing?

reply to post by zayonara


That would be really strange to see a delta formation of sattelites, I wonder how many sightings of those have been mistaken as UFOs.

The time was from 10;30-12 Mountain time

reply to post by zayonara


Morning, just before sun rises.

That would be really strange to see a delta formation of sattelites

no

actually theres a whole fleet of satellites in a polar orbit which contribute to a few joint projects in data-collection
the formation is named 'The A Bus'.
they intentionally fly very near to each other to cover almost the same area in the same time

So its not unusual to see 3 satellites in a delta configuration

however they are dim as stars but still visible with the naked eye, but one can clearly see other stars behind such a 'triangle'

Yes when I observed the delta of satellites it was obvious that there was empty space in between them. When the sun is under, but close to the horizon, is when the satellites glisten the most.

Originally posted by zayonara
Yes when I observed the delta of satellites it was obvious that there was empty space in between them. When the sun is under, but close to the horizon, is when the satellites glisten the most.

www.satobs.org...
One of the interesting sights in the night sky are the Naval Ocean Surveillance System (NOSS) satellite formations, each having two or three satellites in close proximity to one another. Normally these satellites are relatively dim to the unaided eye, but on occasion they brighten sufficiently to be easily seen in a dark sky.
www.eclipsetours.com...
There are some spacecraft for which no formally published orbital elements exist. Instead, amateur satellite watchers have acquired and tracked these objects and publish unofficial information. The NOSS satellite groups are part of traveling trios that are associated with an apparent surveillance system.

The flashing ones are probably tumbling satellites: www.satobs.org...

Some are definitely going slower or faster than others. But see a dimly lit object pass over you at about 50x the speed of an average jetliner/satellite at their average altitude - and you're watching the real thing. And when that happens let us know please!

I believe this is what I saw over the St. Lawrence river 20+ years ago.

ccar.colorado.edu...