Decided to check out a couple of satellites before retiring tonight. A Cosmos 2369 Rocket that’s been up since 2000 and a European MetOp-A launched in 10/06. Both were coming from the south and about 2 minutes apart and around 70 degrees for an easy view.

I’m munching on a apple looking around waiting for the right time and this satellite comes from the north about 45 degrees as I’m looking east and all of a sudden it brightens from around 3 mag to nearly bright as Venus and then fades back in a couple seconds. I almost choked on the apple as it startled me. It wasn’t on the list of visible satellites for my area and after going back to Heavensabove to check it out I couldn’t find anything for that time coming from the north. I've seen rockets tumbling and brighten from it but this thing really got bright.

I never did see the 2 satellites I was looking for but what cool observation I was rewarded with.

Now I can go to bed.