Friday Obs. - Galileo IUS Confirmed

Robert Sheaffer (sheaffer@netcom.com)
Sat, 26 Apr 1997 11:00:54 -0700

Observations Friday April 25  (26 April 1997 UT)

04:06         Approx time of culmination of Cosmos 2151 (#21422)
              Mag =4.

04:07:39      Appulse of Cosmos 1980 rocket (19650) with Mizar.
04:11:08      with Spica. Mag 3, very slow-moving.

04:13:07      Cosmos 1833 r (17590), appulse w/Eta Bootis. Mag 4



              Confirmation of last night's observation of unknown
              satellite. Mike McCants and several others suggested
              that it was the Galileo IUS (20299). He sent me an
              element set that predicted an appulse with Denebola
              approx 04:17:55.
04:18:35      Observed appulse with Denebola of Galileo IUS, moving
              eastward. Magnitude matched Theta Leonis, at 3.4.
04:19:35      Appulse w/Gamma Virginis.

              Because this is now confirmed as a bright object, maybe
              it ought to go into Molczan's list?


        Robert Sheaffer - robert@debunker.com - Skeptical to the Max!
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