Bright orange 'star' seen for 2 minutes by multiple witnesses
My family, friends, and I were camping on Pismo Beach California.
At approx. 21:30 at about 65 degrees up from the horizon, we notice a very bright orange 'star' travelling in a southerly direction. The 'star' was the brightest in the sky.
It moved across half of the night sky and finally faded away in about 8 seconds.
My daughter said she saw a smaller white light continue on afterwards.
((NUFORC Note: Description is remiscent of the flare from an Iridium satellite, although none was visible at the time indicated, on this date. PD))
Date Local
Time Intensity
( Mag) Alt. Azimuth Distance to
flare centre Intensity at
flare centre
(Mag.) Satellite
11 Apr 20:07:17 -8 65° 137° (SE ) 1.2 km (W) -8 Iridium 83
12 Apr 06:12:37 -5 34° 23° (NNE) 9.5 km (E) -7 Iridium 34
13 Apr 06:06:42 -1 32° 24° (NNE) 29.1 km (E) -7 Iridium 5
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My family, friends, and I were camping on Pismo Beach California.
At approx. 21:30 at about 65 degrees up from the horizon, we notice a very bright orange 'star' travelling in a southerly direction. The 'star' was the brightest in the sky.
It moved across half of the night sky and finally faded away in about 8 seconds.
My daughter said she saw a smaller white light continue on afterwards.
((NUFORC Note: Description is remiscent of the flare from an Iridium satellite, although none was visible at the time indicated, on this date. PD))
Date Local
Time Intensity
( Mag) Alt. Azimuth Distance to
flare centre Intensity at
flare centre
(Mag.) Satellite
11 Apr 20:07:17 -8 65° 137° (SE ) 1.2 km (W) -8 Iridium 83
12 Apr 06:12:37 -5 34° 23° (NNE) 9.5 km (E) -7 Iridium 34
13 Apr 06:06:42 -1 32° 24° (NNE) 29.1 km (E) -7 Iridium 5
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No
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No
Off
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No
No
No
Pismo
USA
2 minutes
2 minutes
light
CA
Occurred : 4/12/2008 21:30 (Entered as : 04/12/08 21:30) Reported: 4/13/2008 6:30:29 PM 18:30 Posted: 4/17/2008 Location: Pismo, CA Shape: Light Duration: 2 minutes
Bright orange 'star' seen for 2 minutes by multiple witnesses. ((NUFORC Note: Possible Iridium satellite?? PD))