<p>From the question (slightly edited):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>...a slow moving and slow pulsing star like object. It moved across the sky, turning on and off (around 4 or 5 times)... less bright each time.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What you describe sounds exactly like a satellite that's tumbling (rotating) and it's not uncommon. Most of the time it's a discarded upper stage rocket body, which are often left in a tumbling state after all their remaining propellants are vented out one side. Since they're generally cylindrical and reflective and rotating end-over-end they alternate bright and dim in a slow, and usually (but not always) repetitive way.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>My best guess is a satellite reflecting the sun</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Mine too, that's exactly what tumbling spacecraft in low Earth orbit look like. If it's a rocket body (upper stage) imaging a painted-white tube with dark ends, tumbling end-over-end.</p>
<p>If it's a flat surface like a solar panel or a heat radiator, then it was just luck that the reflections passed over your location. Those are normally called flares and they are pretty short, so it doesn't sound like what you saw.</p>
<p>If you add a date, time and approximate location (e.g. city) then someone can probably tell you exactly which one it was.</p>
<p><em>But that's not necessary to understand what it probably was.</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-24T11:33:00.573Z
2023-08-24T11:33:00.573Z
uhoh
<p>I was looking at the stars as it was clear tonight. I saw a slow moving and slow pulsing star like object. It moved across the sky turning on and off a ‘light’ only being visible when lit and it was less bright each time until I didn’t see it again, it lit up around 4 or 5 times. My best guess is  a satellite reflecting the sun but I’m clueless if I’m honest, I hope someone here can give an explanation.</p>
<p>EDIT: as suggested the date time and location of this sighting are as follows,3 July 2022, time was approximately 23:45/00:00 as i created my account to post about this, as for location I have these coordinates 52.896139,-1.329746</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-03T00:22:07.443Z
*Welcome to Astronomy SE!* So far what you describe sounds exactly like a satellite that's tumbling (rotating) and it's not uncommon. Most of the time it's a discarded upper stage rocket body, which are often left in a tumbling state after all their remaining propellants are vented out one side. Since they're generally cylindrical and reflective and rotating end-over-end they alternate bright and dim in a slow, and usually (but not always) repetitive way. If you add a date, time and approximate location (e.g. city) then someone can probably tell you exactly which one it was.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-08-20T22:59:05.857Z
I've voted to close,  it needs the details mentioned in uhoh's comment
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-09-02T13:03:56.100Z
Excellent question. Can you please specify whether was it northeast or northwest, of the asterism Pleides and any particular constellation it was near to?
Arjun
<light><artificial-satellite>
Slow moving pulsing light
CenTIenT
# Slow moving pulsing light

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-07-03)

I was looking at the stars as it was clear tonight. I saw a slow moving and slow pulsing star like object. It moved across the sky turning on and off a ‘light’ only being visible when lit and it was less bright each time until I didn’t see it again, it lit up around 4 or 5 times. My best guess is a satellite reflecting the sun but I’m clueless if I’m honest, I hope someone here can give an explanation.

EDIT: as suggested the date time and location of this sighting are as follows,3 July 2022, time was approximately 23:45/00:00 as i created my account to post about this, as for location I have these coordinates 52.896139,-1.329746

**Tags:** light, artificial-satellite

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: *Welcome to Astronomy SE!* So far what you describe sounds exactly like a satellite that's tumbling (rotating) and it's not uncommon. Most of the time it's a discarded upper stage rocket body, which are often left in a tumbling state after all their remaining propellants are vented out one side. Since they're generally cylindrical and reflective and rotating end-over-end they alternate bright and dim in a slow, and usually (but not always) repetitive way. If you add a date, time and approximate location (e.g. city) then someone can probably tell you exactly which one it was.  
> **username_2**: I've voted to close,  it needs the details mentioned in username_1's comment  
> **username_3**: Excellent question. Can you please specify whether was it northeast or northwest, of the asterism Pleides and any particular constellation it was near to?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-08-24. Score: 0

From the question (slightly edited):

> ...a slow moving and slow pulsing star like object. It moved across the sky, turning on and off (around 4 or 5 times)... less bright each time.

What you describe sounds exactly like a satellite that's tumbling (rotating) and it's not uncommon. Most of the time it's a discarded upper stage rocket body, which are often left in a tumbling state after all their remaining propellants are vented out one side. Since they're generally cylindrical and reflective and rotating end-over-end they alternate bright and dim in a slow, and usually (but not always) repetitive way.

> My best guess is a satellite reflecting the sun

Mine too, that's exactly what tumbling spacecraft in low Earth orbit look like. If it's a rocket body (upper stage) imaging a painted-white tube with dark ends, tumbling end-over-end.

If it's a flat surface like a solar panel or a heat radiator, then it was just luck that the reflections passed over your location. Those are normally called flares and they are pretty short, so it doesn't sound like what you saw.

If you add a date, time and approximate location (e.g. city) then someone can probably tell you exactly which one it was.

*But that's not necessary to understand what it probably was.*


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