Iridium 11

finn@main.jetnet.ab.ca
Wed, 11 Nov 1998 21:10:42 -0700 (MST)

Finally after weeks of nothing but clouds, the sky remained clear enough for
me to get a little sat viewing in. It was still too light out when Iridium
14 passed by so no bright flashes were seen. A nice -7mag flare from Iridium
53 did light up the sky though. Going with these elsets:

Iridium 11 tum   3.0  0.0  0.0  6.0 d
1 24842U 97030G   98308.03709843 +.00000336 +00000-0 +10280-3 0 02552
2 24842 086.4420 311.9986 0014149 280.9927 078.9678 14.38893627072453

and despite some high thin clouds that rolled in just as Iridium 11 arrived,
i was able to see several bright negative flashes from Iridium 11 at the
following times (UTC):

01:04:35 +- 1 sec
  :04:41 +- 1 sec
  :04:54 +- 1 sec

There were a couple of others between the :41 and :54 but i had re-position
myself as the pass was at 72=D8 elevation and a few others i wasn't able to=
 time.

I also observed and timed Cosmos 1844 r #17974 as passed thru Cassiopeia,
times UTC:

00:51:40 - just above Gamma
00:51:47 - right in front of Eta

Jari
54.25N
110.11W
556m