2009-04-20 - Tucson, AZ - Flash

This is a 3rd follow-up to the two previous nights reports. The same flash of light was seen south of the Leo constellation between the star Regulus and the planet Saturn, observing with binoculars the light is closer to Regulas (about 2/3 of the way) but about 4 degrees to the south perpendicular to a line drawn between Saturn and Regulus, it is hard to determine whether the light moves during the observation period but appears to be farther north than two days earlier but less than 1-2 degrees.

For the last three nights it has been observed at a 15 minute earlier time in the evening. The light flashes with a period of 60 seconds and only lasts for 10-15 minutes. It is possibly a satellite but is unusual in that it has very little motion across the sky and is at a very high azimuth from the horizon (approx 80 degrees), I would expect to see geosynchronous satellites at about 30 degrees azimuth from the horizon at this latitude. I will try observing again tonight but it will probably be too light out at 7:15-7:30 local if the pattern continues of earlier nightly observations.