3 possible satellites for same time/loc/mag and exit

From: Jill McDonald via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Sat, 23 Jun 2018 23:32:10 -0400
Hello Seesat-l list,
I am very new to sighting satellites so still using internet posted numbers.  Last night (June 22, 2018) I had a possibility of three satellites in the same area.  I am going to post the info I have and maybe someone can help me. I would also please request the why you chose one over another as I was not able to eliminate out of these three. I was able to eliminate a fourth because the "exit" was in the wrong location.  

I am at lat 45.1856 N  lon -67.2736 W 91 ft  EST -4 UT  Eastern Maine USA (I get lon wrong as I work to understand the difference between a neg W or an E or a neg E or an W relative to Greenwich).

IGS Radar 5 (42072   2017-015A)  
10:00 (00)  4.9 mg  az=74.38° ENE  ht = 58.82°
10:02          8.1 mg  az= 360/0°  N    I have no height listed as it would be lost to Earth's shadow.

LKW-1 (43034  2017-077A)
9:59    4.4 mg az= 123.58° ENE  (adding this line for reference, could not see due to        houses in area)
10:01  4.0 mg  az=  70.72° ENE  ht = 19.88°
10:05  invis      az= 360/0°  N    ht= 5 ( this would be below other houses)

SUPERVIEW 1 04  (43100  2018-002B)
9:58   4.5 mg  az= 124.03° SE ht= 19.36° ( this would be behind a house)
10:00  4.1 mg  az= 70.48° ENE  ht = 34.41°
10:05  8.0 mg  az= 0°         N  ht =  5

Basically, I noticed the satellite in the ENE sky and followed it towards N as expected. It had a GREEN (like green smoke) elliptical (bullet shape) but flattened flare that was parallel to the satellite at +/- N. I was not watching the time or direct compass as I am still learning and in the WOW stage. Right after this, the satellite was not seen.  All three of these possibilities could be the satellite to the mg at ENE and the direction travelled. The satellite slightly dropped in mg but not a big difference. The drop off at N is explained by all three. This satellite was not as fast as ISS. 

How do I eliminate the possibilities, such as which satellites would emit such a flare. Two of the three are Chinese spy satellites, I mean Earth Observation satellites. I am more trying to learn how to determine which satellite it was. 

I encounter LKW 1 and 2 often so that has a big possibility.  The two others are new to my sighting. I do suspect IGS is my best guess due to the height in the sky as I believe the height was ballpark 45°. 

Thank you,
Jill McDonald

Sighted with naked (eye glasses) eyes from side lawn.

Sent from my iPad
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Received on Sat Jun 23 2018 - 22:33:10 UTC

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