FW: Unusual object at RA 21hr58.7' Dec 16d52m at 22:59 AEST!

From: Chris Peat (chris.peat@heavens-above.com)
Date: Tue Oct 01 2002 - 04:39:09 EDT

  • Next message: Ed Cannon: "Re: FW: Unusual object at RA 21hr58.7' Dec 16d52m at 22:59 AEST!"

    Hi all,
    Another interesting observation report from a Heavens-Above visitor. A
    geosync flasher ? Could someone please help him identify the object.
    
    Chris 
    
    Chris Peat, Heavens-Above GmbH
    E-mail: chris.peat@heavens-above.com
    WWW: www.heavens-above.com
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Sean Kirby [mailto:sekajeni@bigpond.com] 
    Sent: 29 September 2002 01:48
    To: Chris.Peat@heavens-above.com
    Subject: Unusual object at RA 21hr58.7' Dec 16d52m at 22:59 AEST!
    
    
    Dear Mr Peat,
    
    I am trying to establish the nature of an extremely unusual object
    sighted last night. I work at a small observatory near Laguna in
    Australia (roughly 151E 33S, elevation ~300 metres) and we received a
    call last night from a gentleman who claimed to have been looking at an
    object flashing at 9 second intervals in Delphinus for over the past two
    hours! Although sceptical, I looked at the area & to my surprise did see
    an object flash at around 4th magnitude at roughly every 9 seconds.
    Bringing an SCT LX200 to bear on it, the object to be seen to pulse with
    low intensity several times between each high intensity pulse but with
    no apparent pattern - suggestive perhaps of the object tumbling.
    However, the real surprise it that we first detected it at 22:25hr -
    well over 4 hours past the local sunset.
    
    Clearly then, the object is in an extremely high orbit - a conjecture
    supported confirmed when I measured it's motion.  It was first detected
    at 22:25hr, with an R.A of 21h 38.1' Dec +17 degrees 16 minutes,
    measured again at 22:42 with an R.A. of 21h 42'  Dec of +17 degrees 04
    minutes, and measured again at 22:59 when it had an RA of 21hr 58.7 '
    and a Dec of +16 Degrees and 52 minutes.  Fast enough to be obviously
    non-sidereal but clearly way too slow (and late!) for anything in a Low
    Earth Orbit.      
    
    We are trying to establish what the object could have been, given an
    apparently extremely high orbit yet still generating a regular pulse at
    such a magnitude. The brightness suggests something either very large,
    or extremely reflective, but I am at a loss as to what it may be.  Any
    suggestions you could offer or references we could examine would be most
    gratefully received.  
    
    Kindest regards,
    
    Sean Kirby
    Koolang Observatory - Australia
    
    
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