Re: Iridium 27

Leo Barhorst (leobarhorst@wxs.nl)
Sat, 03 Jan 1998 11:04:31 +0100

After I posted my observations of this morning to Seasat-L, I colleted
my emailmessages from the server and was surprised to see the Iridium 27
postings.
It seems that I also by accident, as Jari, picked up the Iridium 27
flares.
At first i thought I saw an aircraft, as it looked like the strobelights
I
see on passing aircraft. Depending on the winddirection an approach to
Schiphol Airport is right over Alkmaar.

Running Skymap with the alldat.tle file from Dec 22 already suggested
the 
UNID I observed in the evening of NewYearsday was Iridium 27. But I was
a bit too cautious and wanted to check it again with a newer tle-file.

We sure will have to keep an eye on this non-operational Iridiums.

Craig, I suppuse you made a typo as you gave Iridium 27 the CosparId 
97- 57 D instead of 97- 51 D.
     ^                   ^

-- 
Greetings and clear skies
Leo Barhorst       Alkmaar    The Netherlands
52.65 North        4.47 East  3 m ASL
Every day I wonder about what I see in the sky