OP - I have been an avid night watcher for most of my adult life, and could usually count 1 or 2 satellites over the course of a few hours. Over the last few years, these 'satellites' have increased in number, to where I see several an hour. I have believed they were just that - satellites. But one night in August of 2011, in a section of the sky I just happened to be staring at, occurred a small flash, and then a 'satellite' began trailing from that EXACT position! AS IF IT ENTERED THE ATMOSPHERE AND THEN BEGAN THE SLOW WALK - AS IF IT WAS MIMICKING THE BEHAVIOR OF A SATELLITE.

This event opened me up to the possibility that many of what I thought were just 'satellites' were indeed something else entirely. Since then I have witnessed these moving stars grow bright and then dim as they traverse the sky. I have seen them appear and disappear, without any clouds to obstruct my line of sight. I have not witnessed any of them changing course, performing right angles or the like, but I know many of these 'moving stars' are not satellites - I think we'll all be seeing many more of these in the months ahead.

KEEP LOOKING UP!