Hello all, I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to the group. My name is Stephen Fels. I am a Laser Engineer living in Orlando, Florida USA. I've recently become interested in plotting predicting and photographing satellite observations. I'm particularly interested in the Iridium, Mir, Hubbel and others that exhibit interesting behavior, such as tumbling. I hope to be completing a website "beginner's guide" in the near future and I look foreward to communications with the group. Now, on with the discussion... kj5tf@madisoncounty.net (Jim) writes: << Here's a question I hope to answer for myself from observation, but here goes. If the mirror like surface is always flat towards the Earth, as the flare peak approaches my position, would the beam appear to move through the clouds from north to south (the direction of sat travel) or south to north? I think the beam will move from S-N >> I think I see what you are getting at. You are imagining that the reflected beam would 'sweep' the ground as the axis of the satellite body 'corrects' to keep the mirror angle face normal to the earth? I believe this is an incorrect assumption, since the orbit should actually 'hinge' the beam at the center of the Earth, not somewhere above the surface. Imagine slicing an apple in half by plunging a knife in to the core and rotating the apple. The skin of the apple will be cut in the direction of the advancing knife handle (orbit), not in opposition. Of course, I could be misinterpreting your statements completely. Regards Stephen Fels http://fathom.org/Stephen