Satellite, Star or Aircraft?

Record what you actually observed

Note the date, local time and time zone, approximate direction, whether the light moved steadily, and whether it blinked or faded. Use landmarks to describe the path without claiming precise angles. Do not try to follow it by walking into a road or restricted area.

Treat movement as a clue, not proof

Stars change position over a night as the sky appears to turn; a point crossing a small patch in a short observation suggests a different kind of candidate. Aircraft can show changing or flashing lights, while a sunlit satellite can appear as a moving point. Brightness alone is not enough to distinguish them, and a short view or distant aircraft can be ambiguous.

Check a prediction for the same context

1. Keep the observation’s time zone explicit.
2. Check the correct observing location, not a saved place from another trip.
3. Compare direction and timing with a reputable location-specific prediction.
4. Confirm whether that prediction is about a visible pass or merely an orbital position.

AstraScope’s satellite tools are a starting point for exploration. This page does not run a pass prediction or identify a light from a description. For the International Space Station specifically, use NASA’s Spot the Station service.

Keep uncertainty in the conclusion

A predicted path does not guarantee an optical sighting. Clouds, horizon obstruction, illumination and prediction freshness affect the observation. “Possible satellite; identity unconfirmed” is more accurate than naming a spacecraft from a single moving dot.

Before another session, use the map-orientation guide and the weather checklist. Never point a laser at an aircraft or at an unidentified light.