In message , tony sayer
writes
In article , Tim Lamb
scribeth thus
In message , tony sayer
writes
In article , Tim Lamb
scribeth thus

I saw three over about 6 minutes, night before last. This area is
heavily light polluted with Luton, Stevenage, Welwyn/Hatfield, St.
Albans all within a few miles.


The sky was clear but a bit blurred by moisture vapour. I also saw what
appeared to be a satellite of some sort, travelling North - South and
much too fast to be an aircraft.



More than likely thats the International space station, thats doing IIRC
some 17,000 MPH...

But that goes West - East sort of...

http://www.isstracker.com/historical

Hmm... maybe. Definitely North South.

This thing appeared to tumble which I assume the ISS does not do.




That might have been diffraction thru the air in the atmosphere
otherwise just an olde UFO. They've been around longer than I have;(....

I think there still some polar orbiting satellites but there not that
big .

Have a look on,

http://www.heavens-above.com/

I checked the ISS passes for my recollection of the time and they don't
really coincide. Too low in the sky to the West and , as you say, moving
to the SE.

This object was directly overhead and heading South. Visible for a bit
over 1 minute. I think an aircraft travelling at that apparent speed
would have been audible and low enough for the navigation lights to be
seen.

UFO agreed:-)

--
Tim Lamb