ISS, Tiangong, Satellites Over Puna

[Loretta]

Couldn't spot it last night, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Maybe next time!

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Weather permitting, there's an Iridium flare tonight at 7:37 PM. Brightest over Keaau and Hawaiian Acres, but still a brilliant -5.0 mag over HPP and Pahoa.

The satellite will rise in the north at 7:30 PM, passing just east of the Big Dipper at 7:36, with the flash occurring a minute later northeast of Jupiter, before it passes Jupiter.

Here's the sky chart:
http://www.heavens-above.com/FlareSkyChart.ashx?lat=19.5999&lng=-154.9457&loc

If you stay outside a little longer, the Atlas Centaur 2 will pass right through the Big Dipper between 7:43 and 7:44, at an easily visible 1.7 mag. It will be moving from west to northeast.

[mermaid53]

Thanks HOTPE for the info. Unfortunately it was raining here on KP so we weren't able to view the iridium flare or the Atlas Centaur 2. Was anyone else able to catch a glimpse last night?

[Pilgrim]

I just happened to see a bright, extremely fast solid light moving from the northwest to the southeast. Saw it all the way across the sky above the moon a few minutes before 8 pm near Kaimu. It was the fastest thing I've seen in the sky - but no noise at all. No trail like a meteorite. Any ideas?

[TomK]

I know you said a few minutes before 8 pm (I'm assuming it was tonight - 4th July). Could it have been at around 7:30 pm?

[Pilgrim]

Aloha Tom, Yes it was probably a little closer to 7:30 pm tonight.

[TomK]

Thanks, Pilgrim. The reason I asked is there were a number low Earth orbit satellites passing over Hawaii nearer 7:30 pm - none of them particularly bright, but certainly visible to the naked eye.

My guess right now is that you saw an old rocket body, but the ones I see in the database would have traveled south to north which doesn't match your description.

In any case, your description is consistent with a satellite/rocket body/debris as they will either pass SW to NE or NW to SE. It certainly wasn't the ISS, the Chinese space station and definitely not an Iridium flare. You also have to remember there are probably a number of military satellites in that sort of orbit and their data aren't available to most of us. I'll keep checking though.

[Pilgrim]

Thanks Tom, it's fascinating to find out what's going on above our heads.

[TomK]

Sorry I couldn't help more, Pilgrim. There were a couple of objects that match the direction you mentioned plus the time, both Cosmos rocket bodies (large remains of Russian rockets) and they're both in low Earth orbit, so would appear to move quickly. They would have both been visible to the naked eye, passed relatively close to the moon but I wouldn't call them bright, at least they weren't predicted to be bright, but would have been easily visible. It's the best I can find that comes close to your description.

[TomK]

It's been a quiet period but will be changing soon. On Saturday evening (July 16th) there will be a very bright Iridium flare occurring at 19:06:44. This is around sunset so the sky will be bright and might be tough to spot, but should be visible if the sky is clear. There's no point providing a sky chart as you won't see stars at that time, but if you look to the NNW about 35 degrees above the horizon, you should be able to spot it. Again, the flare will only last a few seconds so you have to be looking at just the right time.

The ISS will be making some bright evening passes in about a week's time. I'll post details nearer the time.