I was trying to observe the elongation of Polaris by looking at the handle of the big dipper. A bright light flew overhead at high speed, silent over my location. It traveled NW (at an approximate azimuth of 35-40 degrees from true north. Possibly a meteor. A few minutes later I looked in the same general direction to try and pinpoint the track of the first object and I saw a bright flash like a star had just dimmed out.