<p>I was out watching the Perseids in the AM hours of August 11, 2018 from central Hungary. I brought my binoculars just in case I want to do regular stargazing. There was a blinking light directly overhead around Zeta Cephei. At first, I thought it was a tumbling satellite or debris, but:</p>
<ul>
<li>It did not move anywhere. Even when observing with binoculars, it stayed in one spot, blinking like an airplane.</li>
<li>It was just 1 color (white).</li>
<li>The surrounding stars were not flashing.</li>
<li>This one wasn't particularly bright. The magnitude seemed randomized (with each blink).</li>
<li>There was a regular-ish pattern of 1-2 second intervals, best way to describe it is &quot;digital&quot;, like a beacon, not a gradually fading brightness.</li>
</ul>
<p>Things I'd rule out:</p>
<ul>
<li>I'm sure this wasn't <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkling" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Twinkling</a> (turbulent atmosphere), I know what that looks like.</li>
<li>If it were a balloon or a drone, it would have moved slightly.</li>
<li>If it were a geosynchronous satellite, it would have been on the celestial equator to the south (from my location), but they are so far away I doubt I could see them.</li>
</ul>
<p>Eventually the blinking lost brightness and the object either disappeared or blended in with the non-blinking stars. I lost track where and which it was, alternating naked eye vs. binoculars. What do you think it was?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-16T13:00:03.210Z
Still: Satellite or (large) space debris in a high orbit, thus very slowly-moving and rotating / tumbling and as such reflecting semi-regular light towards you. You can try and check with exact time and observer coordinates and see with stellarium whether you find any artificial object as in the stellarium database for artificial satellites (not sure how accurate and comprehensive that is)
planetmaker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-16T13:07:29.717Z
Yes, it's technology, not astronomy.  I'd guess that it was something atmospheric rather than in space) but really there is little hope of being sure. So I'll vote to close
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T10:47:52.877Z
`+1` for a well-written question including a careful description. One thing; if it was a tumbling rocket body at a high altitude it would appear to move a lot more slowly than the satellites we see most often in LEO. But if it didn't move in binoculars... Can you put an upper limit on the speed? Less than 1 degree per second? per minute? per hour? My gut feeling is, based on the words that are in your question, it was some balloon or high-flying drone with it's own light. But an upper limit on the speed would be great to know. *Thanks!*
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-17T14:45:08.003Z
Looked stationary, no speed whatsoever. Looked exactly like a star that was turned on and off. Balloon okay but do people use balloons in the middle of the night? Drone without sound, with a service ceiling of 5km? I was in a field, in the middle of nowhere. Debris would be the best explanation but to appear stationary and this much reflective... I don't know. Weird.
Firsh - justifiedgrid.com
<amateur-observing><identify-this-object>
I saw a blinking light source, can someone explain it?
Firsh - justifiedgrid.com
# I saw a blinking light source, can someone explain it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-16)

I was out watching the Perseids in the AM hours of August 11, 2018 from central Hungary. I brought my binoculars just in case I want to do regular stargazing. There was a blinking light directly overhead around Zeta Cephei. At first, I thought it was a tumbling satellite or debris, but:

* It did not move anywhere. Even when observing with binoculars, it stayed in one spot, blinking like an airplane.
* It was just 1 color (white).
* The surrounding stars were not flashing.
* This one wasn't particularly bright. The magnitude seemed randomized (with each blink).
* There was a regular-ish pattern of 1-2 second intervals, best way to describe it is "digital", like a beacon, not a gradually fading brightness.

Things I'd rule out:

* I'm sure this wasn't [Twinkling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twinkling) (turbulent atmosphere), I know what that looks like.
* If it were a balloon or a drone, it would have moved slightly.
* If it were a geosynchronous satellite, it would have been on the celestial equator to the south (from my location), but they are so far away I doubt I could see them.

Eventually the blinking lost brightness and the object either disappeared or blended in with the non-blinking stars. I lost track where and which it was, alternating naked eye vs. binoculars. What do you think it was?

**Tags:** amateur-observing, identify-this-object

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Still: Satellite or (large) space debris in a high orbit, thus very slowly-moving and rotating / tumbling and as such reflecting semi-regular light towards you. You can try and check with exact time and observer coordinates and see with stellarium whether you find any artificial object as in the stellarium database for artificial satellites (not sure how accurate and comprehensive that is)  
> **username_2**: Yes, it's technology, not astronomy.  I'd guess that it was something atmospheric rather than in space) but really there is little hope of being sure. So I'll vote to close  
> **username_3**: `+1` for a well-written question including a careful description. One thing; if it was a tumbling rocket body at a high altitude it would appear to move a lot more slowly than the satellites we see most often in LEO. But if it didn't move in binoculars... Can you put an upper limit on the speed? Less than 1 degree per second? per minute? per hour? My gut feeling is, based on the words that are in your question, it was some balloon or high-flying drone with it's own light. But an upper limit on the speed would be great to know. *Thanks!*  
> **username_0**: Looked stationary, no speed whatsoever. Looked exactly like a star that was turned on and off. Balloon okay but do people use balloons in the middle of the night? Drone without sound, with a service ceiling of 5km? I was in a field, in the middle of nowhere. Debris would be the best explanation but to appear stationary and this much reflective... I don't know. Weird.  

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## 0 answers

