Kevin, Thank you for posting to YouTube your cool video of Iridium 156 flaring. As I am sure you know, the Iridium NEXT satellites are configured quite differently from the original Iridium satellites. My understanding is that instead of three flat Main Mission Antennas (MMAs) tilted downward 60 degrees from the bird's longitudinal axis (which itself is controlled to point along the local vertical), there is a single, smaller MMA antenna/surface on each Iridium NEXT satellite that is maintained so as to be perpendicular to the local vertical. Thus I speculate that this bright flare originated from the solar panels. This leads to my two questions: 1. Did you know in advance that Iridium 156 would flare on this orbital revolution, as seen from your observing location? 2. If so, could you provide the source of your predictions? Thanks again. Roger L. Mansfield P.S. Anyone else on the SeeSat list: please comment if you yourself can make Iridium NEXT flare predictions, or know of a source of Iridium NEXT flare predictions. From: Kevin Fetter via Seesat-l <seesat-l_at_satobs.org> To: Seesat List <seesat-l_at_satobs.org> Sent: Tuesday, July 3, 2018 9:52 PM Subject: Iridum next flare Tonight, I got my confirmation, that a iridium next can flare up. Iridium 156 causing a nice light show. Kevin 43251 | | | | | | | | | | | 43251 Iridium 156 giving a flare. | | | _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-lReceived on Wed Jul 04 2018 - 23:02:26 UTC
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