Re: Pegasus WIRE Launch

Randy John (skysat@home.com)
Mon, 8 Mar 1999 21:58:54 -0800

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Jay,
    The WIRE launch was bright/big because of exhaust gases illuminated
by sunlight.  The exhaust plume can be really huge.  I'm sure that
the halo around an Iridium is a scattering or diffraction effect.  You've
seen this around the edge of the moon as well (not to be confused with
the 22 degree halo).
                Randy
-----Original Message-----
From: JAY RESPLER <jrespler@superlink.net>
To: SeeSat-L <SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com>
Date: Sunday, March 07, 1999 8:53 PM
Subject: Re: Pegasus WIRE Launch


>Bart De Pontieu wrote:
>> I watched the WIRE launch from Palo Alto, on the roof of our office with
>
>> It was so bright it showed a halo around it!
>
>This sounds like the very bright Iridium flares. Has there been an
explanation
>of this phenomenon?
>
>--
>Jay Respler
>--
>           JRespler@superlink.net
> Sky Views:  http://njsurf.com/skyviews/
>Satellite Tracker * Early Typewriter Collector
>           Freehold,  New Jersey
>

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