Iridium Obs: 21 Aug 97, 11:20 UT

Ron Lee (ronlee@pcisys.net)
Thu, 21 Aug 1997 05:33:30

Just observed the 5 newest Iridiums.  Using the elsets I posted
earlier, the elsets for #24904 or 24905 are good.  Elsets for 
#24906 and 24907 are off-track.  All 5 all in a line.  Separation
between the objects 2, 3, & 4 are about the same. Object 1 has
about twice the separation between it and the 2nd object and the 
last object has about 50% more separation between it and the 4th
object.

Standard magnitude as earlier launches.  I did noticed occasional
flashing.  At first I thought it was imagined but then it occurred
too many times to be spurious.  By the time I realized it was real,
they became to faint to see so I could not determine if the flashing
was from one or more satellites.

Now if all 5 had flashed to magnitude -2 or so it would have been
beautiful.

Ron