Spirit of 76

Iridium 76—part of a fleet of communications satellites—catches the sun's rays at just the right angle to gleam brilliantly in the predawn sky. So-called "Iridium flares" are each visible from a short path on the ground, no more than 10 miles wide, and are highly predictable. Most serious astrophotographers consider them a nuisance, but they do have a beauty all their own.

starsastrophotographywidefieldsatellitesiridium flaresnightskyeveningdarktrees