[NLRS] Very interesing observed night time event

[Bill Davis via NLRS]

  I went down to the boat dock Monday (June 22) night after Gary W0GHZ and my sked (just before 11pm). I took the tripod and camera down to shoot some aurora shots. Before I mounted the tripod, I was looking at the sky. Quickly just to the south and east very close to the zenith is see a small circular patch of white that was seeming to almost sparkle. The patch might appear to be 1/3 the dia of the moon or less. Very quickly the sparkles went away and the patch became, over time, more diffuse and started drifting to the NNE. At first I thought it was be an auroral phenomenon. But I didn't recall having heard of anything like that. Why so compact at first, why sparkles, then become diffuse etc?
  End result. I was observing a ESA Vega launch from French Guiana. The launch was for a sun-synchronous orbit inclined at 98.5 degrees relative to the equator. That was the KEY!! Who would believe at this high a latitude you would ever see a launch. It was widely observed in the northern US and Canada.
  Had it not been for the aurora, I would have missed it. PERFECT timing. I got 3 camera exposures as the exhaust gasses were drifting away.
73 Bill  K0AWU