About 58 Starlink objects recorded from the January 6 launch can now be seen on my YouTube video

From: PAUL MALEY via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org>
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2020 15:34:45 +0000 (UTC)
I just was able to record a very low pass 8.5 degrees elevation in my southwestern sky of most of the 60 Starlink satellites associated with the last launch. This was extremely challenging due to the low altitude inside the Phoenix Arizona light bubble and recorded shortly after the Starlink objects came out of the Earth's shadow into sunlight.  I messed this up yesterday when the elevation was 22 degrees so I feel vindicated today.
The prediction was for them to pass through beginning at 13:25:30UT on 8 January. The first object was seen by itself and briefly flashed through the field at 13:24:44. This seemed to be genuinely part of the procession but its optical characteristics were different from all others. This one was followed by the second at 13:25:15. Objects 3-39 started right after and finished passing by 13:25:30. Object 40 at 13:25:35; objects 41-47 ended by 13:25:58; object 48 at 13:26:01; object 49 at 13:26:07. Then look closely. Object 50 at 13:26:12 has a tiny flashing piece just below it! Object 51 passes at 13:26:16; object 52 at 13:26:24; object 53 at 13:26:31; object 54 at 13:26:37; object 55 at 13:26:43; object 56 at 13:26:50 and object 57 at 13:26:58.  At that point a gust of wind moved the telescope and no further objects could be recorded assuming they were even coming. It is possible that all 60 are recorded.  So, of special interest then is the object just below object 50 and if this is one of the satellites that means I likely recorded a total of 58 objects that I could distinguish from the video playback.

Comments: the appearance of each and every object seen was the same with respect to brightness (except for the first tumbling object, and the small flashing object below object 50). It is also possible that in the tight clustering that more than 2 satellites escaped detection as they may have been hidden within the glare of 2 satellites that appeared almost touching. There were several "pairs" that appear this way.
I have uploaded this video to YouTube, but since I have never done this before don't expect professional appearance. Use the time tags above to correlate with specific pieces.  The link is:  https://youtu.be/rP3yBk2oJFY 

PaulCarefree, Arizona USA

Paul D. Maley 
https://pauldmaley.com
email: pdmaley_at_yahoo.com
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Received on Wed Jan 08 2020 - 09:35:54 UTC

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