On the discussion group several people have suggested that it might be a laser guide star- this is complete nonsense of course!

My response to the third or fourth claim on the discussion group...

ypyetr wrote:
Is it possible that someone was using the false star laser in an adaptive optics telescopic system. Keck uses one.


I can say that this was not a laser guide star with 100% certainty...

1) Keck has the only laser guide star in hawaii, and it was NOT on at that time.

2) When the laser is on it appears as a thin line on the mauna kea concam which sees only the scattering of the beam as it leaves the keck 2 dome.

3) The 'artificial star' created by the laser is typically between 9th and 11th magnitude... The streak was FAR brighter.

4) The 'artificial star' created by the laser is at an altitude of just ~90km. The similarity between the two widely separated concams indicates that the event was at a higher altitude than 90km.

5) The laser guide star would never sweep across the sky like that- there are interlocks to prevent that.

6) quite frankly the phenomenon seems to be explained perfectly by the fuel dump explanation...