Re: weird observation

Barhorst L.J.C. (L.J.C.Barhorst@arcadis.nl)
Fri, 09 Apr 1999 12:25:56 +0200

Hello Paulo,

It indeed is a weird observation.
Could you give us (the seesat community) your precise coordinates?
We can than calculate were these objects maybe could be seen from 
other parts of the world assuming the objects are geosynchronous.

Do you have or can you make photo's of it?

>From Europe we can see the ASTRA satellites at 19.2 degrees east.
The five or six sats are also very close together at the same orbital slot
above the equator.
I've not seen them myself, but know from other observers that they 
move very slowly with respect to eachother while stationkeeping.
The ASTRA's are not that bright

So if you have seen a cluster of geosats it's weird they moved so rapidly.

Geosats can been seen now better around this time of year as the sun 
has crossed the equator from south to north on march 21st and the solar
panels can reflect the light towards us.

Greetings
Leo Barhorst