Re: Disco ball into orbit

Tony Beresford (starman@camtech.net.au)
Tue, 27 Jan 1998 15:12:04 +1000

At 19:19 26/01/98 -0800, Dale Ireland wrote:

> I am betting the design they have will require
>binoculars and good eyes like the sputnik does.
Dale, this object is meant to be observed by school kids,
helping to turn them onto science. Its GOT to be naked eye.
A specularly reflecting sphere like Sputnik 40 would
indeed be about mag 5.5 at 180miles range. But one square
inch of mirror surface at 1000 miles range = mag 2. One of the
mirrors is bound to reflect the sun to the observer for every rev.
of the satellite, and so i concur with Rob matson's estimates 
Tony Beresford