(meteorobs) Point Meteor or Flaring Satelite

[prospector at znet.com]

It took me a moment to realize there were two small bright objects, then I
tried to get clear of the tree to get a better look, but the event faded
fast once I was in the open. I couldn't see anything once the flair was
over. Too bad I didn't have my binoculars with me, usually do but I was
checking on my cats just then.
                                     Dave

Quoting orink at t6b.com:

> Hi, Dave:
>
>   I believe I had a similar experience, but during the evening twilight
> on one of the two days I was lucky to have clear skies all night during
> the 2010 Persid meteor shower.
>
>   My location,used by the Rockford, Il. Astronomy club, was in a
> Wisconsin Transportation Department Quarry just north of the Illinois
> border, and north-west of Rockford, IL. It is usually 5.5 dark and has
> good views, for the midwest, to the north.  I arrived before sunset to
> get my equipment set-up.
>
>   While looking at the bowl of the big dipper, I noticed a white,
> star-like object, with a size and magnitude similar to the four bowl
> stars, in the center of the bowl. It remained centered in the bowl, not
> getting brighter, or weaker, for 10-20 seconds before it occurred to me
> that it wasn't moving in it's position.  Hmmm, maybe a new Nova, and
> better than KT ERI !! I turned away to walk over to the car and get my
> camera, taking several more seconds. As I returned and attached my camera
> to one of the tripods, it vanished. Nuts!!
>
>   After midnight, I captured good shots of several persid meteors, one
> leaving just under the radiant arm position, and showing an excellent
> track back to the radiant source. But, I have always been disappointed
> that I failed to capture a shot of whatever it was that I saw, motionless
> for so many seconds, in the center of the bowl of the big dipper during
> evening twilight. Upon further review, I found nothing mentioned on the
> AAVSO site.
>
> As Ever,
> Orin Keplinger near Chicago