<p>On February 28, 2023, we were watching the stars around 19:45 from the ground in central Netherlands when we saw three bright blinking dots moving along the sky.
The dots were arranged in a triangular formation, but the shape of the triangle varied as they moved as if the viewing angle was changing. The dots were blinking alternately, always at most one was visible.
They moved quite low so after a few minutes we could no longer see them because of buildings.
We first saw them in the western sky.  They moved to the North and I think they also sank a little.</p>
<p>Using Stellarium, I think I had a match, but I've just started using the app and I did not understand the notation. Because there was probably a match, I think this question is different from other light-in-the-sky questions.
Is there any way I can look back at the time and place, and find out what we saw?
Maybe using Stellarium or other means?</p>
<p>I tried google but only found the same phenomenon mentioned 5 times the same night on a UFO-sighting site. Someone posted a clear video, you can find the link in the post here: <a href="https://www.ufomeldpunt.nl/melding/16333-drie-lichtpunten" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.ufomeldpunt.nl/melding/16333-drie-lichtpunten</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-01T21:42:40.327Z
"three blinking dots", of course makes me think "aircraft".... I'm certain you will say "I know it wasn't an airplane". But "blinking" nearly always means "it was a plane"
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-01T21:52:39.460Z
And having reviewed the video, I'm confident to say "not astronomical" - probably aircraft of some type, but there's not enough detail to know for certian.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-01T21:53:55.113Z
If it was aircraft, it won't show up on Stellarium.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-01T22:00:26.880Z
I’m voting to close this question because, on reflection, it isn't an astronomical object that has been observed.
James K
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-01T22:36:24.703Z
There are satellites that "blink", we call them "flashers",  the flashing is the sun reflecting off of parts of the satellite.  There is also the NOSS satellites, some of which fly in a triangular formation.  Since the NOSS satellites are classified, you won't find orbital elements for them, I've also never heard reports of them being flashers.
Greg Miller
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-03-04T13:47:46.580Z
@GregMiller one can go to http://satobs.org/noss.html choose a NOSS satellite and its 5 digit catalog number (e.g. NOSS 3-8 (A)  42058) and past it into n2yo https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=42058 and voila there it is, two line element set and all! [How (the heck) are military satellites with (apparently) classified TLEs still showing up on sat map websites?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/18300/12102)
uhoh
<observational-astronomy><amateur-observing>
What was the formation of three blinking dots, looking back using Stellarium
Ivana
# What was the formation of three blinking dots, looking back using Stellarium

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-03-01)

On February 28, 2023, we were watching the stars around 19:45 from the ground in central Netherlands when we saw three bright blinking dots moving along the sky.
The dots were arranged in a triangular formation, but the shape of the triangle varied as they moved as if the viewing angle was changing. The dots were blinking alternately, always at most one was visible.
They moved quite low so after a few minutes we could no longer see them because of buildings.
We first saw them in the western sky. They moved to the North and I think they also sank a little.

Using Stellarium, I think I had a match, but I've just started using the app and I did not understand the notation. Because there was probably a match, I think this question is different from other light-in-the-sky questions.
Is there any way I can look back at the time and place, and find out what we saw?
Maybe using Stellarium or other means?

I tried google but only found the same phenomenon mentioned 5 times the same night on a UFO-sighting site. Someone posted a clear video, you can find the link in the post here: <https://www.ufomeldpunt.nl/melding/16333-drie-lichtpunten>

**Tags:** observational-astronomy, amateur-observing
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "three blinking dots", of course makes me think "aircraft".... I'm certain you will say "I know it wasn't an airplane". But "blinking" nearly always means "it was a plane"  
> **username_1**: And having reviewed the video, I'm confident to say "not astronomical" - probably aircraft of some type, but there's not enough detail to know for certian.  
> **username_1**: If it was aircraft, it won't show up on Stellarium.  
> **username_1**: I’m voting to close this question because, on reflection, it isn't an astronomical object that has been observed.  
> **username_2**: There are satellites that "blink", we call them "flashers",  the flashing is the sun reflecting off of parts of the satellite.  There is also the NOSS satellites, some of which fly in a triangular formation.  Since the NOSS satellites are classified, you won't find orbital elements for them, I've also never heard reports of them being flashers.  
> **username_3**: @GregMiller one can go to http://satobs.org/noss.html choose a NOSS satellite and its 5 digit catalog number (e.g. NOSS 3-8 (A)  42058) and past it into n2yo https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=42058 and voila there it is, two line element set and all! [How (the heck) are military satellites with (apparently) classified TLEs still showing up on sat map websites?](https://space.stackexchange.com/q/18300/12102)  

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## 0 answers

