Any satellite can flare and if you look at a dark sky you'll see something go over before long. But the Iridiums were special because they were so predictable and bright. I really enjoyed pointing them out to regular people who had no idea about satellites. The ISS is the only thing now, but it's not as bright as a good Iridium flare and it stays in the sky so long that it's more like a plane flying over than a flare.
