Observations Thurs Evening: Possible Lacrosse 1 ??????!!!!

Robert Sheaffer (sheaffer@netcom.com)
Thu, 10 Apr 1997 22:16:22 -0700

Observations Thursday April 10  (11 April 1997 UT)

03:46    Predicted culmination of Lacrosse 1 (#19671), Not seen.

         HOWEVER, an unidentified bright satellite, magnitude 3, was
         seen moving down into Virgo and Corvus approx 03:56.
         No satellite in Molczan's element set w/standard
         magnitude is this bright in this approximate position.
         Checking up afterwards with Skymap, this matches the predicted
         path of Lacrosse 1 approx 8 - 10 minutes earlier.

         Could Lacrosse 1 not be "de-orbited", but rather moved to
         a position several minutes later in the same orbit? Keep
         a watch out. This Unidentified satellite (unfortunatley
         only seen for 15 secs or so) was pretty bright!!

03:51:56 Final recorded flash of Superbird A (20040)

04:08    NOSS-2 trio (20682 &c) seen moving into Virgo. Definitely visible
         to naked eye, magnitudes 4, 4.3, 4.7 approx. Very striking
         in binoculars.

04:10    Culmination of Cosmos 2082 rocket (#20625). M = 3.5.

04:16    Culmination of OAO2 rocket (#3598), Mag = 3 (4.3 predicted
         from standard magnitude).

04:49:09  Disappearance of Aldebaran!!!


        Robert Sheaffer - robert@debunker.com - Skeptical to the Max!
             my new GPS tells me I'm at 37 deg 17.3' N., 
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