Bright Light Over Early Evening Texas Skies Not A Meteor... 19FEB2011...

by: ELPALLSKY 19 FEB2011
Witnesses reporting in to ELPALLSKY of a bright light moving across Texas skies this evening likely DID NOT see a meteor/fireball, but an unusually bright pass of the ISS (International Space Station). With days getting longer now, the Station stays in sunlight longer than during winter when even bright illuminated ISS passes are relatively brief compared to their summer counterpart passes. Here are a couple inquiries to ELPALLSKY, a log of tonight's pass across Houston TX, and an ELPALLSKY camera capture of an ISS pass over El Paso TX last night 18FEB2011 at 6:56 pm MST. Enjoy!

From ELPALLSKY Chat...

Feb 19 2011, 7:48 PM Guest579 (guest): Hello. Do know if any meteor or satellite was visible over north houston today around 630 pm. It was very bright light traveling northeast and then it just fizzled out. It was large and not like any meteor I have ever seen. It was not blinking like an aircraft.

Inquiries To ELPALLSKY...
Spring, Texas arrived from google.com on "elp allsky" by searching for bright light over texas sky on 2-19-2011.
19:44:44 -- 1 hour 30 mins ago

This is directly from spaceweather.com for Houston TX 19FEB2011...ISS rise time 06:46:50 pm SW transit time(end)06:49:14pm altitude 70° magnitude -3.8 (very bright)

below is a 3+ minute composite flight image of the ISS over El Paso TX 18FEB2011 6:56 pm MST

(c) 2011 ELPALLSKY and Jim Gamble-click image to enlarge