Satellite flare, also known as satellite glint, is a satellite pass visible to the naked eye as a brief, bright “flare”. It is caused by the reflection toward the Earth below of sunlight incident on satellite surfaces such as solar panels and antennas (e.g., synthetic aperture radar). Streaks from satellite flare are a form of light pollution that can negatively impact ground-based astronomy and stargazing.
Many satellites flare with magnitudes bright enough to see with the unaided eye.
There are many potential explanations for sightings. We recommend eliminating the most common and mundane before jumping to less probable conclusions or you submit a report.
Live flight tracking maps are available for monitoring airline, marine, and balloon traffic and trajectories in real-time or historically around the world.
Planned launches occur regularly all over the globe. These tracks can help identify the potential missions or launches in your area.
Satellite tracking can also be done in real-time with the aid of tracking maps. They are also helpful for tracking Starlink launches.
There are a number of sites which track solar flares, magnetic storms, asteroids, and other events which are helpful for eliminating explanations related to astronomic phenomena.
French site (with English translations) with resources and examples covering the most commonly observed phenomena and explanations for UFOs.