Re: magnitude

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At 01:22 18/07/98 EDT, Aliendish@aol.com wrote:
>Just out of curiosity, I don't know if there's an answer to this question.
>Maybe someone can give me an idea, anyway. What is roughly the highest
>(dimmest) magnitude a satellite could have?
No there isnt really an answer. It all depends on how far away the
satellite is and how small an object you want look at, and how
big a telescope you have to hand.
Most geostationary comsats are about mag 12-13 most of the year brightening
to mag 9-10 under optimal scaterring conditions. 
If you mean objects is low earth orbit, the range is constained to be
only say 4 times the satellite height so that means 3 mags dimmer than when overhead.
Phase angle considerations come into play as well, and of course atmospheric extinction.
Tony Beresford 

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