Star like object travels in a zigzagging pattern relative to other stars

[lbiskupec]

I have a question that must have logical answer and I just cant find one online.

Yesterday, around 11 P.M. me and my wife was sitting on our porch talking and casually watching the sky.
Suddenly, our attention was caught by a star like object that was traveling towards east.
Speed was like any satellite would have but it was ZIGZAGGING.
Lateral motion was instant and had an amplitude of the width of my thumb with my arm fully extended. At some point its brightness increased drastically just before it faded out completely.

I found a lot of testimonies about similar sightings but not a single one clarification.

I can explain sudden increase in brightness (probably increased reflection due to change of position) and fading (traveling east object moved into a sun shadow - high altitude object) but i just cant explain zigzagging.
I've found some explanations that states it is an optical illusion caused by eye-tracking or atmospheric effects but there is a problem with this explanation. Object was zigzagging relative to other stars.
Only object that can zigzag would be a drone, but no drone can zigzag instantly like that. It looked like it was jumping.

 

[Drakkith]

There's no telling what this is. I've seen many similar phenomena that ended up being an optical illusion, reflections off of some object, fireworks, drones, balloons, floating debris, etc. We had one several years back that ended up being the reflections of chandeliers off of glass. For every observation there's a thousand possibilities.

 

[Baluncore]

How long did you watch it for?
How many times did it jump instantly sideways while you were watching?
Were the jumps random or regular, every how many seconds?
Were the jumps all the same step size?

Were you looking through a window or a screen?
Do you have fireflies in your area?
Are you in a war zone, or where an aircraft might have dropped flare decoys?

 

[Nik_2213]

I'm 'situate' under glide-path for local airport when prevailing wind is 'not the usual'.
Big aircraft have remarkably bright landing lights with very narrow beam. Their apparent source position will 'jump around' disproportionately as attitude shifts minutely. IIRC, is similar optical illusion to how quasars appear to be FTL.....

 

[Ken_S]

I have a question that must have logical answer and I just cant find one online.

Yesterday, around 11 P.M. me and my wife was sitting on our porch talking and casually watching the sky.
Suddenly, our attention was caught by a star like object that was traveling towards east.
Speed was like any satellite would have but it was ZIGZAGGING.
Lateral motion was instant and had an amplitude of the width of my thumb with my arm fully extended. At some point its brightness increased drastically just before it faded out completely.

I found a lot of testimonies about similar sightings but not a single one clarification.

I can explain sudden increase in brightness (probably increased reflection due to change of position) and fading (traveling east object moved into a sun shadow - high altitude object) but i just cant explain zigzagging.
I've found some explanations that states it is an optical illusion caused by eye-tracking or atmospheric effects but there is a problem with this explanation. Object was zigzagging relative to other stars.
Only object that can zigzag would be a drone, but no drone can zigzag instantly like that. It looked like it was jumping.

I have seen StarLink, ISS, and other satellites that “appear” to do that. Look up autokinesis. Easy way to verify that they are not zig zagging is use a tripod to take a video. You will see it is traveling a straight line.

 

[lbiskupec]

How long did you watch it for?
How many times did it jump instantly sideways while you were watching?
Were the jumps random or regular, every how many seconds?
Were the jumps all the same step size?

Were you looking through a window or a screen?
Do you have fireflies in your area?
Are you in a war zone, or where an aircraft might have dropped flare decoys?

- for about 30 sec
- about 10 times (at first it was traveling in a straight line)
- regular every 1 sec
- yes, same steps
- we were watching with our naked eye (2 persons)
- definitely not a firefly
- not a war zone

 

[pinball1970]

- for about 30 sec
- about 10 times (at first it was traveling in a straight line)
- regular every 1 sec
- yes, same steps
- we were watching with our naked eye (2 persons)
- definitely not a firefly
- not a war zone

My friend recorded an hour of footage 11pm ish Thursday from his balcony in Manchester.
About 6 separate videos.
One light moving around then splitting up and coming back together and changing colours.
We were thinking lasers as they have gigs in Manchester at this time. Manchester City ground, Heaton Park.
We are checking if any events or other sightings.