[meteorite-list] Intense bright light seen over the skies of Portugal

[Jose Campos]

Hi again List,

A while ago, the portuguese TV SIC presented a portion of an amateur video made by a  portuguese woman from the Algarve, showing the  bright object reported on my previous email to the List.
 From what I could see in this video, the object appeared to be moving almost paralled to the horizon, several degrees above local tree level, and moving fast "from right to left". It portrayed an almost straight, a few degrees long, luminous "trail". I don't know in which direction was the video-camera facing.
>From this video clip, I did notice that the object did not show a bright "head".
A Mr. José Miguel Reis, who witnessed the phenomenon  from Penodeno, Portugal, mentioned that it appeared to move as a luminous point coming from the north, on a slight curved path moving fast towards the west; he claimed that neither its speed or its trajectory were constant. (???) and that it did not move like an aircraft.
SIC TV also reported that the object was noticed by the portuguese air force ground radar and thata spoke person for the Air Force said that  it lasted for about 3 minutes, moving at some 800 km/h and that during its path it was detected at heights of 50.000 feet, 30.000 and 7.000 feet.

Astronomer José Matos said that it might have been the reflex (flash) of an Iridium satellite, orbiting at some 780 km height. He suggested that it might be seen again tonight (Wed.) at about the same time as last night (23h15 Lisbon time).

Certainly, the air force ground radar would not be able to pick up satellites at that height, and the several witnesses over the country, would not mention seen a smoke trail, if it was in fact, a flash of an Iridium satelitte.
It appears to me that it was, most probably, a satellite re-entry. Can any List member confirm if there was any satellite/space debris predicted for a re-entry over Portugal around that time/date?
José Campos
Portugal
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