Venus

If you are seeing a very bright, intensely silver-white, stationary object near the horizon, it is likely Venus. Venus is regularly bright due to it’s reflective atmosphere and how close its orbit is to Earth.

The best way to check if the object you are seeing is Venus is to use an app like SkyView (App Store and Google Play), which you can use to verify to the position of Venus in the night sky.

There are many potential explanations for sightings. We recommend eliminating the most common and mundane before jumping to less probable conclusions or you submit a report.

Resources

Space/NASA Launches

Planned launches occur regularly all over the globe. These tracks can help identify the potential missions or launches in your area.

SpaceLaunchSchedule.com

SpaceFlightNow.com

RocketLaunch.Live

Satellite Trackers

Satellite tracking can also be done in real-time with the aid of tracking maps. They are also helpful for tracking Starlink launches.

Heavens Above

N2YO

Satellitemap.space

Spot the Station (International Space Station)

Space Weather

There are a number of sites which track solar flares, magnetic storms, asteroids, and other events which are helpful for eliminating explanations related to astronomic phenomena.

Spaceweather.com

Spaceweather.gov

Eyes on Asteroids

 

Méprises Du Ciel

French site (with English translations) with resources and examples covering the most commonly observed phenomena and explanations for UFOs.