Iridium 71 Obs
Mike McCants (JRBURCA@aol.com)
Thu, 23 Jul 1998 03:20:51 EDT
Iridium 71 (#25320) was to make an evening pass in the east (favorable
sun angle) going S-N culminating at 04:44:34 UTC 23 July 1998 UTC
(22 July local). The sky was hazy and light polluted but the brightest
stars could be seen. After it entered into sunlight according to STS Plus,
I stepped outside and scanned with 7x35 binoculars. I have seen
non-flaring Iridiums through binoculars so know that they are very dim.
I could not spot any satellite, just a few stars. I stepped back inside
to look at the computer screen to get a fresh bearing and saw it was
at 82 Az. Quickly moving back outside, I scanned with the 7x35's and
still saw nothing. Then I walked a few feet to get a better view of the
part of the sky where it should be. Just as I looked up again, I saw naked
eye, perhaps a -2 mag. (guessing) flare which was gone in, at most, a couple
of sec. I then looked with binoculars and saw it a few more sec. decreasing
in magnitude until it was nothing and by then the view was being obstructed
by some trees. I had not really expected to see anything so was a little
surprised and unprepared. I'm assuming that what I saw was Iridium 71
as that is about where it was supposed to be at the time.
I tried to backtrack using STS Plus and determine the time of the flare.
I didn't have my watch on and only noted a time when I went back inside
after the flare. I think the time, az., and elev. of the flare was somewhere
within these ranges: 04:45:30--04:46:00 UTC, az. 50-60, elev. 30-35.
I would like to venture a NON-expert opinion, if I may. IF it is tumbling,
from what I saw, my guess is that it is in a very, very slow tumble or
rotation. That is because the flare lasted long enough that it was nothing
like the brief, numerous flashes from Iridium 20 indicating rapid tumbing.
-- Jake Rees
Burbank, California USA
(34.164 N., 118.341 W.)