NUFORC Sighting 19236

Occurred: 2001-08-18 03:45 Local
Reported: 2001-08-23 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 1 minute
No of observers: 2

Location: Port Angeles, WA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Emitted beams

"SATELLITE" EMITTING BRILLIANT FLASH OF LIGHT IN TWO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

At approximately 0345 on Saturday 18 August 2001, myself and my wife were at a location approximately 20 miles west of town along the shores of Lake Cresent. We were there to observe the stars on a cloudless clear night. An object (which was a dim light, much like a dim star) appeared, it appeared to be a satillite transversing the sky from approximately NNE to the SE. We first observed the object south of zenith and 15 degrees east of zenith. As the object moved to the south we say a brilliant white light (which appeared diamond shaped) flash from it as it travelled south. From where we were standing, it appeared that the flash was directed towards us, as if looking into a brilliant spot lite. About 10 seconds later, it flashed again, the flash was brighter than any other object in the sky by many magnitudes (even the ISS is not that bright). Again after about 10 seconds a third flash was observed, however this flash was directed away from us, as it appeared that we could see the beam of it drifting out in front of the small object. Shortly after the third flash eminating from it, it vanished. Total duration of seeing this object was approximately 1 minute. We just stood there looking at each other and tried to confirm what we had just seen.

Posted 2001-10-12