Re: unid oddball blinker

Rainer Kracht (r.kracht@elmshorn.netsurf.de)
Mon, 21 Dec 1998 23:54:36 +1

> 
> A few hours ago when I came home from work, I stepped out on the balcony
> to gaze at the unusually clear sky for a while.
> 
> I spotted the satellite very near its culmination high in the west; it was
> about mag +1 and faded to invisibility in about 30 seconds.  Then, after
> some 15 more seconds, the was a short blink to 0 mag -- the blink lasted
> at most a quarter of a second.  I was following the path of the object in
> case it was a tumbler which might brighten again.
> 
> I've seen tumbling satellites, strobing satellites, iridiums, but I've never
> seen something fade slowly and then blink once at me.
> 
> I'm currently out of reach of a tracking program; here's the data if anyone
> wishes to try to find the object:
> 
> Time 16:52 (+-2, no watch) UTC
> Site 57.667N, 11.917E, 125m ASL
> Track direction close to direct south.  It passed fairly close to Alderamin;
> I don't recall now whether it passed above or below the star.
> 
> 
Looks like ISIS 1

ISIS 1           1.1  1.3  0.0  7.8 d
1 03669U 69009A   98351.05544885 +.00000203 +00000-0 +14741-3 0 08245
2 03669 088.4422 175.1210 1722186 318.6116 029.6166 11.27232487226663

 Rainer