Ted Molczan wrote: > > I observed TiPS on 18 Jul 96 at about 02:11 UTC. It was > about 2 seconds early, and on course, relative Rainer's > day 96191 elset. > > I observed using mounted 11x80 binoculars from: > > 43.68767 N > 79.39267 W > 215.5 m elevation > > The tether appeared to be oriented along the direction of motion. > The leading end-mass glinted occasionally. > > The observations of the leading end-mass were: > > Object date time RA DEC Epoch > 96029? 1996 07 18 02 11 39.4 18 52.00 -09 41.0 2000.0 > 96029? 1996 07 18 02 12 04.9 18 58.33 -13 00.0 2000.0 > > I estimate the positional accuracy of the first obs at 0.02 deg; > the second at 0.03 deg. The time accuracy was about 0.1 s for both. > > This was my first ever tether observation. Very impressive sight! > > Ted Molczan I saw TiPS for the first time either during the same pass but it was on my WSW at 02:07:30 UTC (18 July) and it was a superb observation. The tether was perpendicular to the Earth. And like Ted said, when the object was SSW at about 70 degres elev, the low-end glinted by moments. With my 21x50 bino, the tether appeared not clearly defined, but like a sat passing over a humid sky or a tiny cirrus cloud. Also, I observed MOS 1 and it was another superb sight. It was 17 minutes after the TiPS pass, at 02:24:30 UTC. Sometimes MOS 1 is flashing with variable period from invisible to mag 4.0 to 4.5 and at other moments, at north (from 60 to 20 deg elev) , it flashes from invisible to super brillance for just a fraction of second in a magnitude of about -2.0 or brighter. I saw during 2 hours of observations, 25 or 26 objects with 2 or 3 non identified at the moment. The sky was very clear and low humidity. I am in the country with no city lights, 1250 feet above the ocean and when the conditions are good, the sky is superb. Luc Fontaine lfontain@quebectel.com 46.4077778N 70.8638889W 1250 feet Sts-Anges, PQ Canada