Intermittent flashing light, unmoving, near Western shoulder of Orion
Monday, Jan 19 about 7:45. It was a cloudless night here in Eastern Oahu, Hawaii. I had been looking at Venus, then looking for the Milky Way.
When I looked up at Orion, I saw a flash of light. I waited, and soon it flashed again. It was positioned "above" Orion's Left "shoulder" (West-North-West+-) or the right side of Orion as you look at it (Orion was lying on his right side).
When it blinked again I began to count. I counted to seven between blinks, some were dimmer, some brighter. I went inside to try to find a place to report it or look it up if it was a satellite, to no avail, for half an hour. When I went back outside it was no longer visible (8:15). It did NOT appear to be moving, or, it may have been moving VERY slowly. I've watched satellites before, seen them traveling West to East and North to South. I know there are geostationary satellites, but I've never seen a blinking one before.
My best guess is a rocket booster that became geostationary (since others have seen it in the same position) and as it turns end-over-end it also spins and some sides may reflect better. Then perhaps it 'disappeared" as it entered Earth's Shadow? I did explore other websites, and on ATS (Above Top Secret) people in Africa, Texas and Finland described EXACTLY what I saw.
Monday, Jan 19 about 7:45. It was a cloudless night here in Eastern Oahu, Hawaii. I had been looking at Venus, then looking for the Milky Way.
When I looked up at Orion, I saw a flash of light. I waited, and soon it flashed again. It was positioned "above" Orion's Left "shoulder" (West-North-West+-) or the right side of Orion as you look at it (Orion was lying on his right side).
When it blinked again I began to count. I counted to seven between blinks, some were dimmer, some brighter. I went inside to try to find a place to report it or look it up if it was a satellite, to no avail, for half an hour. When I went back outside it was no longer visible (8:15). It did NOT appear to be moving, or, it may have been moving VERY slowly. I've watched satellites before, seen them traveling West to East and North to South. I know there are geostationary satellites, but I've never seen a blinking one before.
My best guess is a rocket booster that became geostationary (since others have seen it in the same position) and as it turns end-over-end it also spins and some sides may reflect better. Then perhaps it 'disappeared" as it entered Earth's Shadow? I did explore other websites, and on ATS (Above Top Secret) people in Africa, Texas and Finland described EXACTLY what I saw.
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Kaneohe
USA
15 Minutes
15 Minutes
21.43
-157.81
HI
Occurred : 1/19/2009 19:45 (Entered as : 01/19/09 19:45) Reported: 2/4/2009 1:07:38 AM 01:07 Posted: 3/19/2009 Location: Kaneohe, HI Shape: Duration: 15 Minutes Characteristics: There were lights on the object
Intermittent flashing light, unmoving, near Western shoulder of Orion