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On February 28, 2023, we were watching the stars around 19:45 from the ground in central Netherlands when we saw three bright blinking dots moving along the sky. The dots were arranged in a triangular formation, but the shape of the triangle varied as they moved as if the viewing angle was changing. The dots were blinking alternately, always at most one was visible. They moved quite low so after a few minutes we could no longer see them because of buildings. We first saw them in the western sky. They moved to the North and I think they also sank a little.

Using Stellarium, I think I had a match, but I've just started using the app and I did not understand the notation. Because there was probably a match, I think this question is different from other light-in-the-sky questions. Is there any way I can look back at the time and place, and find out what we saw? Maybe using Stellarium or other means?

I tried google but only found the same phenomenon mentioned 5 times the same night on a UFO-sighting site. Someone posted a clear video, you can find the link in the post here: https://www.ufomeldpunt.nl/melding/16333-drie-lichtpunten

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    $\begingroup$ "three blinking dots", of course makes me think "aircraft".... I'm certain you will say "I know it wasn't an airplane". But "blinking" nearly always means "it was a plane" $\endgroup$
    – James K
    Commented Mar 1, 2023 at 21:42
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    $\begingroup$ And having reviewed the video, I'm confident to say "not astronomical" - probably aircraft of some type, but there's not enough detail to know for certian. $\endgroup$
    – James K
    Commented Mar 1, 2023 at 21:52
  • $\begingroup$ If it was aircraft, it won't show up on Stellarium. $\endgroup$
    – James K
    Commented Mar 1, 2023 at 21:53
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    $\begingroup$ I’m voting to close this question because, on reflection, it isn't an astronomical object that has been observed. $\endgroup$
    – James K
    Commented Mar 1, 2023 at 22:00
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    $\begingroup$ @GregMiller one can go to satobs.org/noss.html choose a NOSS satellite and its 5 digit catalog number (e.g. NOSS 3-8 (A) 42058) and past it into n2yo n2yo.com/satellite/?s=42058 and voila there it is, two line element set and all! How (the heck) are military satellites with (apparently) classified TLEs still showing up on sat map websites? $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Mar 4, 2023 at 13:47

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