NUFORC Sighting 81551

Occurred: 2011-05-24 22:48 Local
Reported: 2011-05-28 15:04 Pacific
Duration: 5 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Manor, TX, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Left a trail

Super-bright, white, star-like object appears near the star Merak

I was playing with a new android app called "Spacejunk" which displays a map of the night sky as you pan with the phone in real-time.

While looking toward the big dipper, I noticed a brief flash of intense, pure, white light, so I focused on spot near the star Merak at what appeared to be a larger star, three to four times larger and five times brighter (than Merak).

It faded to nothing in about three seconds immediately followed by a smokey white trail, about half a centimeter long to the out-stretched hand,

Then another flash and the appearance of another white star one-third the size of the first, which faded to nothing within two seconds.

My impression was that this did not occur in the atmosphere, that it was distant, possibly a supernova. I don't think it was a meteor because it didn't streak. The light was diffuse, not directional or piercing, and it radiated outward from a central point.

I guess it's possible it was a meteor heading in my direction, but it just seemed too distant.

It's important to note the lack of color in the sighting; no alternating green or red lights as you would see on an airplane. I kept looking at the spot to see if it would re-appear, but the clouds rolled in fifteen minutes later, so I had to stop looking. I made an animation of what I saw here:

http://i.imgur.com/pYsLT.gif

Posted 2011-05-29

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