Re: Request for optical observations of ABRIXAS
Mir16609@aol.com
Wed, 5 May 1999 13:35:53 EDT
In a message dated 5/5/99 08:27:26 AM EDT, roland@blitz.mit.edu writes:
> I received a request for optical observations of ABRIXAS from the
> ABRIXAS Co-Principal Investigator via a colleague of mine this
> morning. I attach the original german text: the jist of it is
> that they want to know what ABRIXAS is doing so they know how to
> plan their program of reacquiring contact.
>
> The Co-PI sent out a request for observations to his people at
> the astrophysical institute in Potsdam (Germany) and the Max-Planck
> institute near Munich: their observation coordinator is Konrad Dennerl
> (kod@mpe-garching.mpg.de). If it is not too much of an imposition,
> if you have observations of ABRIXAS, please send them also to Mr.
> Dennerl.
This evening there are several passes that should be visible to the northern
USA and most of Canada. The ground track of the pass at 21:40 EDT (01:40
UTC, 6 May) will go just north of Quebec City. At my location it will be
about 23 deg above the horizon as it passes L->R under Polaris. Locations
north of Maryland (eg. MIT) will have a better view.
The next passes (03:16 and 04:52 UTC, 6 May) should be visible in the midwest
USA / central Canada and the northwestern USA / western Canada respectively.
The ABRIXAS Rk trails the payload by 4.5 minutes. It appears to be flashing.
Cheers
Don Gardner 39.1796 N, 76.8419 W, 34m ASL
Homepage: http://hometown.aol.com/mir16609/
Space Day - 6 May 1999; http://www.spaceday.com/