Re: ISS, STS sightings

Tristan Cools (tcools@nic.INbe.net)
Sun, 6 Dec 1998 17:27:24 +0100 (CET)

At 11:08 6-12-98 EST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 12/6/98 2:43:58 AM Eastern Standard Time,
>Bruno_Tilgner@compuserve.com writes:
>
>> 17 minutes later, at 05:39 UTC, Endeavor entered sunlight at an
>>  elevation of 54 degrees, azimuth 8 degrees. About 1 minute later
>>  it exhibited an extremely bright flare for some 10 to 15 seconds.
>>  The flare was considerably brighter than anything I have seen from
>>  the Iridiums, so I estimate the peak magnitude at -9.
>
>Interesting observation.   At the time of your pass the ISS module Unity was
>protruding from the shuttle's cargo bay.  The flare must have been caused by
>Unity.
>



I saw the same pass in Belgium.  The sky was very cloudy but between the
clouds I could see a very bright (at least mag -3) Endeavour passing over.
In fact I have that pass on videotape.


Greetings,

Tristan Cools
tcools@nic.INbe.net
BWGS Member - Belgian Working Group Satellites

Observing at: Damse Vaart: 3.2486E/51.2279N/Rijckevelde:
3.2867E/51.2054N/Brugge: 3.1611E/51.2108N