Re: SL-16 R/B - Bright Flasher (One More Time)

Eric Vondra (evondra@usaor.net)
Tue, 14 Jul 1998 00:31:21 -0400

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Don Gardner wrote:


> I understand from Mike McCant's post last week that it is common for these
> object to tumble after releasing their payload(s).   Anyone else note the
> flashing?
>
I observed this object (#25400, 98 043G--listed as F in my elset file, Zenit 2) this evening (14 July UT) on
the same orbit pass (exactly the same time, too!), and it appeared as you described it. Magnitude was 2.0 and
steady until after culmination, northbound, at which time it began showing about a 7 second flash period,
winking out completely at minimum in 10x50 binoculars.

Eric Vondra
Wampum, PA, USA
40.8538N 80.3292W 200m

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Don Gardner wrote:
 
I understand from Mike McCant's post last week that it is common for these
object to tumble after releasing their payload(s).   Anyone else note the
flashing?

I observed this object (#25400, 98 043G--listed as F in my elset file, Zenit 2) this evening (14 July UT) on the same orbit pass (exactly the same time, too!), and it appeared as you described it. Magnitude was 2.0 and steady until after culmination, northbound, at which time it began showing about a 7 second flash period, winking out completely at minimum in 10x50 binoculars.

Eric Vondra
Wampum, PA, USA
40.8538N 80.3292W 200m --------------97D8BB28E1BA0BB8B3F67C29--