Sometimes when a satellite goes overhead and the angle is just right its reflective surface will reflect the sun very brightly in a path across the earth. Kind of like if you were to hold a mirror so that it reflects the sun to a spot on the ground and then started walking, the spot will move across the ground. So people on the ground see it as a momentary bright light.
They call it a flare.
There's an app called Sputnik that will tell you the times and paths of satellites so you can look for them. There used to be a lot if Iridium satellites that flared really good, but I think they've taken some of them out of service, or something.
It will also give you time and path of the space station.
They call it a flare.
There's an app called Sputnik that will tell you the times and paths of satellites so you can look for them. There used to be a lot if Iridium satellites that flared really good, but I think they've taken some of them out of service, or something.
It will also give you time and path of the space station.