Very Odd Sighting!

[Crepuscular Ray]

I've seen this before, a star that just vanishes in a matter of seconds. I did some research on it and apparently it's likely to be space junk burning up in the atmosphere. Seems odd though that the one I saw was stationary with no tale or anything like that though, it just disappeared.

I'd say it was a flare from an iridium satellite's solar panels catching the Sun:

http://www.satobs.org/iridium.html

They travel about as fast across the sky as the ISS does, but over just a few seconds this movement might not be obvious unless there was a bright start nearby to compare positions.

[Bobby]

This happened last month too

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/9503248/Exploding-meteor-creates-sonic-boom-over-Wales.html

Unusual to have two such in a short time I would have thought. I remember seeing something similar a few months ago.

[Essan]

Scientists were disappointed early today when the latest Earth Express probe mysteriously malfunctioned and burnt up in the atmosphere, only moments before it was due to land on the Blue Planet. Previously, successful probes had landed on regions close to the equator, at Sahara and Gobi, and in the southern hemisphere in Atacama, Kalahari and Great Sandy. All showed Earth to be an empty, barren desert devoid of life. However scientists had hoped the latest Earth Express probe would have more success as it was due to land in the northern hemisphere in the region known as Britain where it was strongly speculated that very primitive lifeforms might still exist.

Both the Martian and Venus Space Agencies are planning further probes to Earth next year.

[Keraunic]

Gutted that I missed this. But I remember seeing a huge meteor passing over Oulton Broad nr Lowestoft in the 90s. It was reported in all the papers next day. It was so bright it lit the sky up. Fabulous.

[Relativistic]

I'd say it was a flare from an iridium satellite's solar panels catching the Sun:

http://www.satobs.org/iridium.html

They travel about as fast across the sky as the ISS does, but over just a few seconds this movement might not be obvious unless there was a bright start nearby to compare positions.

But that's the problem, it was there for at least 5 minutes (from when I first noticed it to when it disappeared), it could have been there for hours. Is it possible a satellite could reflect light onto my position for 5 minutes or more? The other thing about it was that it was about 7 in the morning, with it being nearly fully light (I saw it earlier this year), and it was one of the brightest things in the sky. Are these reflections normally this bright?

[Methuselah]

But that's the problem, it was there for at least 5 minutes (from when I first noticed it to when it disappeared), it could have been there for hours. Is it possible a satellite could reflect light onto my position for 5 minutes or more? The other thing about it was that it was about 7 in the morning, with it being nearly fully light (I saw it earlier this year), and it was one of the brightest things in the sky. Are these reflections normally this bright?

From what you and others have reported, a meteor (or returning space debris) would be my best guess...Many such things explode in the atmosphere...

[WhiteXmas]

I've seen this before, a star that just vanishes in a matter of seconds. I did some research on it and apparently it's likely to be space junk burning up in the atmosphere. Seems odd though that the one I saw was stationary with no tale or anything like that though, it just disappeared.

Yeah me too actually, very strange!

[Crepuscular Ray]

But that's the problem, it was there for at least 5 minutes (from when I first noticed it to when it disappeared), it could have been there for hours. Is it possible a satellite could reflect light onto my position for 5 minutes or more? The other thing about it was that it was about 7 in the morning, with it being nearly fully light (I saw it earlier this year), and it was one of the brightest things in the sky. Are these reflections normally this bright?

Ah, you said a few seconds. No, the reflection from an iridium satellite wouldn't last that long in one position. Where was it in the sky? If it was in the south-east, at a guess, it would have been Venus.

Space junk wouldn't have been stationary.

[A.J]

Scientists were disappointed early today when the latest Earth Express probe mysteriously malfunctioned and burnt up in the atmosphere, only moments before it was due to land on the Blue Planet. Previously, successful probes had landed on regions close to the equator, at Sahara and Gobi, and in the southern hemisphere in Atacama, Kalahari and Great Sandy. All showed Earth to be an empty, barren desert devoid of life. However scientists had hoped the latest Earth Express probe would have more success as it was due to land in the northern hemisphere in the region known as Britain where it was strongly speculated that very primitive lifeforms might still exist.

Both the Martian and Venus Space Agencies are planning further probes to Earth next year.

I take it that they're planning a mission to Birmingham then? .....lol

[Mountain Snow]

Lol only the British could make a mockery out of an event like this. Ps the explosion was probably a sonic boom?

Think your right about the sonic boom, there's a video of it over Dumfries and Galloway, NW of here, so probably landed off the west coast of Scotland. Really wanted to find a meteorite, people will pay a lot of money for a lump of space rock!

[Gavin Hannah]

Think your right about the sonic boom, there's a video of it over Dumfries and Galloway, NW of here, so probably landed off the west coast of Scotland. Really wanted to find a meteorite, people will pay a lot of money for a lump of space rock!

Chances are there would only be tiny little granules left.

[Relativistic]

Ah, you said a few seconds. No, the reflection from an iridium satellite wouldn't last that long in one position. Where was it in the sky? If it was in the south-east, at a guess, it would have been Venus.

Space junk wouldn't have been stationary.

It was almost directly above me, I'd say maybe 10 degrees to the north east from directly above my head. I'm sure it wasn't Venus because there were still a couple of other stars about after it vanished (most had gone though), so Venus must have still been visible.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Possibly Mars, Saturn or Jupiter then, although the fact that a couple of stars were still visible after it had disappeared sort of rules that out, unless they were in the north-west. Apart from that, I'm stumped.

[Love Snow]

All Over my FB that another Meteor just been spotted over Leeds?

[Snowyowl9]

This is space weather getting more noticeable,we`re going around the center of the galaxy afterall and heading into new areas of space,lots of asteroids out there,NASA has warned us.

Not as I saw anything as I was in bed.

The BBC certainly underplayed it this morning.

[Methuselah]

Possibly Mars, Saturn or Jupiter then, although the fact that a couple of stars were still visible after it had disappeared sort of rules that out, unless they were in the north-west. Apart from that, I'm stumped.

Eyewitness testimony?

[WheresTheSnow]

I posted in the UFO section about a bright light I thought was a star. One night it vanished twice and reappeared, dissapeared for a few minutes each time. Seems to slightly dart around if you watch it carefully, I frequently see it out my window. No clue what it is.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Police helicopter over Carpenders Park?

[Methuselah]

And there are plenty of them!

[SP1986]

in pursuit of thugs most likely.. !

(thats all police helicopters seem to be drafted for these days!)

[bobbydog]

All Over my FB that another Meteor just been spotted over Leeds?

[Methuselah]

in pursuit of thugs most likely.. !

(thats all police helicopters seem to be drafted for these days!)

That's not fair, Ste...Posing as UFOs is their 'night job'!

[WheresTheSnow]

Haha, we do get a lot of police helicopters around in the early hours! But unless Hertfordshire police have helicopters that can vanish every so often, we can rule that one out!

[Methuselah]

Haha, we do get a lot of police helicopters around in the early hours! But unless Hertfordshire police have helicopters that can vanish every so often, we can rule that one out!

Black helicopters?

[WheresTheSnow]

Very funny Rybris! They do have flashing lights on them usually...