About 35 years ago as a kid I did 7 day raft trip down the Colorado river with my Grandfather. It was two rafts with about 12 per raft. On the second night our guide was pointing and showing us stars. He then pointed out a satellite and was explaining how some fly over N-S and then some E-W and how he could time them. I’d never seen one before as it’s not dark enough at home, and I just never paid attention.
On the 4th or 5th night several of us, me being the only kid on the trip, we’re looking up and sure enough we see a satellite go by. It was then timed as we knew another one would fly over at a certain time. Not surprisingly we see another one but it was noticeably brighter, and looked slightly closer. But going the same speed as the satellites. Then this “satellite “ abruptly takes a 90 degree hard left turn. Not a sweeping turn. It was a hard 90. It never change speeds and just kept going. At first we were like what the heck was that? Then everyone was giving their thoughts. Even people were suggesting Area 51 military stuff, but nothing could do what we saw.
Next morning one of the lady’s asked our guide about what we saw and explained it to him. He said he’s never seen that in all his years, but another guide he knows claimed to see the same thing happen multiple times during a trip down the river. Our guide said he chocked it up to two satellites crossing paths at the same time giving his friend the illusion it was turning. But there were 5-6 of us this night that all saw the same thing and no one saw or suggested two satellites crossed paths. Out of 6 of us, someone would have noticed that. None of the 6 accepted that might be what we saw. Plus it was brighter, and either larger or closer then the previous satellites.
The last few nights in the canyon everyone was watching stars & satellites and we never saw what we saw that night.
