Over time I shall add reports of other sightings, experiences and observations. Both from myself, as well as other individuals. Reports will, for the most part, be centred around South Africa, and first hand experience of myself or the third party. DeeBee
Double Bogey
On the morning of 20th July 2018, at around 06:22 Central African Time (yes, it was another Friday), I observed what I at first thought was a bright satellite high in the sky, travelling in a direction 240 degrees West South West, and at around 90 degrees above the horizon.
I immediately struck me however that it was not one pin of light, but two, as if joint or in incredible close formation. Joint in hindsight does not make sense as if it was joint, it would have appeared as a single point of light, i.e. close formation makes sense.
The two points were unusually bright for satellites, hence my eyes picked it up fairly easily, and they were moving uncharacteristically fast for a satellite. I thus surmise that they were either in very low earth orbit, or vessels in the atmosphere, at very high altitude.
This double light then started rapidly fading and split up into two points, one continuing in the original direction of travel, and the second change direction. First turning on a more southerly direction, and then making a complete U-turn and accelerated back into the direction it came from, being around 60 degrees East North East.
As it accelerated away, there were two very bright flashes in short succession, and of very short duration.
Nothing could be observed after the twin flashes. I checked on the “Night Sky” app I use to identify satellites, and the result was negative. Having said that, I am under no illusion that there are myriads of satellites and objects in orbit, which are not logged on this app.
Observation took place in Melkbosstrand, around 20km north of Cape Town South Arica. Weather was clear with zero cloud cover, and unseasonably warm at around 18 degrees Celsius. At the time there was a fairly brisk North Westerly wind.
The observation lasted no more than around 15 seconds in total. There was no time to try to activate video recording on my cell phone. Even if time was not a factor, the observation would not have been visible on a recording from a cell phone (iPhone X).
DeeBee