RE: Iridium Flares ground projection

Mark Hanning-Lee (markhl@prodigy.net)
Tue, 03 Feb 1998 16:18:01 -0800

> shadows.  does venus cast visible shadows? i've heard of bright meteors
> (-8, -10 range i would assume) casting them. who knows? so who among you
> is going to be the first to turn your back on a monster-flare to look for
> your shadow?

I've seen shadows cast by Venus. On a recent Iridium flare (magnitide
-5.6) I turned my back to look on the ground but saw nothing. I think it
would be quite difficult!

It was easier (for Venus) to be inside a dark room & see the patch of
light moving slowly across the wall. Once you found the patch of light,
it was fairly easy to make a shadow. The same trick would be hard for a
short-duration Iridium flare!

Best, Mark
-- 
Mark Hanning-Lee, markhl@prodigy.net