# Did I just see an iridium flare? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288 "2010-02-17T03:25:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/21 "2010-02-17T22:08:50Z")
For what it’s worth, i also think it’s a rocket firing. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Flare_Simulation.gif) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Flare_Simulation.gif) is a LOT less than 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/22 "2010-02-17T22:34:59Z")
I was not intending to castigate anyone. From what Spezza said I assumed he was referring to the FAR side of the moon. I was just trying to clear up some confusion, which is why I described what the OP was seeing. My apologies if I inadvertently offended anyone. ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/23 "2010-02-17T22:42:56Z")
From wikipedia: The dark side of the Moon is the lunar hemisphere that is not currently lit by the sun, however it is usually mistakenly used to refer to the far side of the Moon, the side that is permanently turned away from the Earth. As the Moon is always rotating with respect to the Sun, this hemisphere receives as much light as the near side. OOPS! My mistake. Must watch my definitions more closely in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/24 "2010-02-18T07:24:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Might it have possibly been a rocket launch from one of the Air Force bases in California? The only Air Force base in California that supports rocket launches is Vandenberg AFB, and there is nothing on its [launch schedule](http://www.spacearchive.info/vafbsked.htm) until June. (NAWS-Pt. Mugu supports tactical and ABM system target test launches, but they certainly wouldn’t be visible for ~5 minutes.) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/25 "2010-02-18T13:58:02Z")
At 7 pm, could it have been an airliner still in the sunlight? ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/26 "2010-02-18T14:41:12Z")
No, I just did some quick calculations, and with the sunset time in Burbank at a little before 5:40, and an airliner at 35000 feet, I think it would still be in the sunlight for about 12 more minutes. That gives us 5:52 pm at the latest for that explanation. Are you sure that it was close to 7 pm? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/27 "2010-02-18T15:15:07Z")
It could also be one of those high altitude research balloons. 5 minutes sounds about right and those suckers ARE bright with a capital B. I noticed one in broad daylight once. Had enough time to bring out the telescope to take a gander. Even a small weather balloon might be pretty bright under just the right conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/28 "2010-02-18T15:20:21Z")
Quite obviously what you saw was a momentary interruption in the cloaking device onboard a starship from Zeta Reticuli. You can expect a visitor soon. I, for one, welcome our reptilian overlords. ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288/29 "2010-02-18T21:07:43Z")
It could have been just about any satellite with a large solar array that just happened to be reflecting sunlight towards your location. Just about every satellite has “flares”. What makes Iridium flares unique is that the satellites’ position and attitude are so controlled that the time and location can be predicted. Most other satellites aren’t controlled as precisely and/or don’t have easily accessible location/orientation data. Five minutes does seem like an usually long time though to see one of these flares. Not necessarily impossible, but definitely unusual. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-just-see-an-iridium-flare/529288.md?page=1)