Very bright satellite sighting?

Question

While at our cabin in northern Wisconsin last Friday night, looking at the stars, I saw a very bright satellite. I have seen many satellites but this one appeared much brighter and larger in the sky. It moved quite quickly overhead then disappeared to a glow as it went under the tree line. Was this a normal satellite or could this be the international space station?

Answer 1

Many satelites can reflect sunlight off their solar panels if the Sun, the satelite, and the observer are lined up just right.

The ISS is huge and has a large array of solar collecters so that might have been it.

This is the best web sight I know of for satelite sightings

http://www.heavens-above.com/

.After you log in and type in your location you can click on "ISS" and then "previous" and match the time with the event. I'll bet you'll find that thats what it was (the ISS)

Answer 2

I did a check for last Friday in northern Wisconsin on http://www.heavens-above.com/ and it shows the International Space Station passing high overhead at a couple of minutes before 10 p.m. If that was the time, then that's what you saw.

Answer 3

Perhaps in Iridium Flare.

Answer 4

It could've been the ISS

You can check ISS sighting opportunities in Wisconsin at:

http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/si...

Then just click on which City you are viewing from.