2019-06-03 - Monroe, OR - Flash

I see these things just about every night. So does my wife and son. It is pretty predictable. On a clear night, go outside and look up. It only takes a few finutes. Sometimes as much as an hour at most to see them. The way I like to describe them is this. Imagine being on a stage with the ligths shining on you. You know there is a huge crowd out there but you cant see them because you are lit and they are not right? Then a single flashbulb goes off as someone takes a picture. That is what it looks like. A single flashbulb going off.

It will then move a bit. Not really far but it never pops in the same place. These things are NOT satellites since they are not moving at a steady rate which would be required if you were on orbit. Also not an airplane as they are not moving properly to be flying and there is no sound associated with seeing them. If you take the time to watch them they will flash in an area half a dozen times then, go away? Then you will see some in another area.

I have seen them near the ISS as it traveled by as well. This is a good way to see them as well because they are almost always near when it goes by. I encourage anyone seeing this to go look for them. I am at a loss as to how to photograph these things. I totally would but it would take a bulb setting and all I would see is a white dot against a field of white dots (stars). Not sure how to identify the flashers in a background of stars via a camera. Perhaps with a bulb setting long enough it would be the white dot that was still a dot and not a smear like the stars would be? IDK. Not convincing to most people and not really worth the trouble.