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[Galaxy]

Please help me understand what I saw the day after the launch into the comet. Approximately 11:45p.m. til 12:00 a.m Mountain time.
I was looking at what I thought was Jupiter. With the naked eye my husband and I both saw what looked like a photographers flash. I'm certain it wasn't fireworks. I was trying to show him Jupiter and Spica where all the news was coming from the evening before. I Googled the words Jupiter and flash and read that in 2001 there was a flash on Jupiter pole. Did it happen again? Can this be explained?

[Rocketman]

>With the naked eye my husband and I both saw what looked like a photographers flash.

This sounds like an Iridium flare, possibly other. I will run some simulations for the time frame, and your coordinates to see if I can confirm this. Your description of "photographers flash" is exactly what I often describe a flare as.

I'll let you know what I come up with.

If possible, post any additional details that you feel are pertinent for this observation.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Galaxy,

Excellent that you were scanning the skies of the general location of the Deep Impact event. It makes it more real and personal.

Iridium flares come into view in a flash and fade away and it sounds like that is what you saw. If anyone can determine what it was, it's Grady (Rocketman).

Great to see you on the forum!

[Rocketman]

At the particular time for the area Jupiter was near the horizon at 262.53° azimuth, and 3.80° elevation. Spica was at 248.65° azimuth, and 6.14° elevation.

The coordinates I used for Buhl, Idaho are.

W 114.75
N 42.60

A prediction for iridium flares during the time frame specified does not show anything that low to flare below a 5.0 magnitude, but there is one in that location. Iridium 39, when advanced to 262.53° azimuth for proper alignment with Jupiter, has an elevation of 2.80°, which is just a bit lower than Jupiter.

It is possible that it could have been Iridium 39, but usually a flare will gradually brighten, peak, and gradually dim over a period of a few seconds. However, they can flash rather quickly, and disappear, leaving no noticeable sign that you really did see something. I hate it when I think I see something out of the corner of my eye. I turn to look, and it's gone. I wonder if that's what Pink Floyd meant. lol

Thank you for the interesting post. I like hunting down answers to questions like this.

There are several brilliant people here who might have something to add.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

If Grady says it might have been I 39, then that's what I go by.

On the off-shot...it could have been a small meteor. There have been reports about meteors falling straight at the observer, where it almost looks stationary, but brightens very much and fades away.

Either way, the skies are alive!