Large flash lit up entire night sky

Traveling on our tugboat from Long Beach to San Francisco we me and my watch partner saw a giant flash of light which lit up the entire night sky like it was daylight. It lasted about two or three seconds. We both saw the flash of light and I turned my head to look out the side window to see where it was coming from and I saw one round craft right as it disappeared. The flash made no noise at all. Also, the craft made no noise. After the incident there was chatter on the radio about it from ships in the area. It was seen by ships as far away as 35 miles, so it must have been up pretty high in the sky. It definitely was not a shooting star or space junk falling to earth. It was something else. Whatever it was, it was big. Some ships reported it as a flare, but it wasn't a flare, as it didn't hang in the air at all. It just flashed off and disappeared. It wasn't lightning either. It was a clear night. Very odd. I can't stop thinking about it.