NUFORC Sighting 24946

Occurred: 2002-09-07 22:30 Local
Reported: 2002-09-08 21:38 Pacific
Duration: 30 seconds
No of observers: 12

Location: Hull (Canada), QC, Canada

Shape: Formation

4 lights moving in losange(french word) formation at even speed, not blinking, and at least 1 km wide

4 white lights crossed the sky at about 10:30 pm saturday at Hull near Ottawa in canada. The 4 light were same colors as a star would be. Think about it as 4 bright stars moving togheter at exactly the same speed. Speed was similar to a satellite speed. We are more then 10 witness and we were all struck that this was way to big to be one object and we could see the stars background so it was empty between the stars. The formation was a losange (french word for the shape) and the movement direction was inline with the shape (sorry for bad english!). It did not change direction or speed. Direction was approximately toward South East (i was visiting a friend so I cannot be precise on direction seems to me like SE). I have no explanation for this. I tough about 4 satellites in a formation with about a kilometer spread but i cannot figure how 4 satellites could be so bright and so well synchronized in this perfectly stable speed and shape. I guess they would not stay togheter like that but would rather spread apart. I'm left with no explanation and I'm not alone. Please tell me what it was! I cant stop thinking about it.

NUFORC Note:

We recently have been made aware of four satellites that currently orbiting Earth, as part of a study to study the aurora borealis. This may explain the sighting, but that is surmise. PD

Posted 2002-09-13