Re: Other observations

Ron Lee (scubalee@pcisys.net)
Sun, 29 Sep 1996 07:58:22 -0600 (MDT)

JUst ran Skymap trace on Superbird a (#20040) for these coordinates
and time.   Jupiter was at RA 18:38, DEC -23:22.  Hale-Bopp at
RA 17:30, DEC -05:12.   Superbird A at 2030 PDT, 26 Sep 96 at
RA 17:30, DEC -7.35.

Seems Kevin found this object as well.  Must have been a 
beautiful sight in dark skies.

Ron Lee


>A note posted on the Compuserve Astroforum , noted at about 0800UT SEpt 29
>Subj:  SPACE LASERS			Section: General
>  To:  ALL				Sunday, September 29, 1996 10:06:04 AM
>From:  KEVIN C. MUNLEY, 72572,23	#290635
  A FEW MINUTES LATER, THREE OF US SCANNING AGAIN FOR 
>HALE-BOPP, SPOTTED A FLASHING LIGHT WITH A REPETITION OF ABOUT 
>10-12 SECONDS.  IT WAS LOCATED ABOUT ONE FIST LEFT OF HALE-BOPP 
>TOWARDS
>JUPITER (BEST SWAG), BUT IN THE SAME PIECE OF SKY AS THE LASER.  IT 
>WAS NOT AN AIRCRAFT TYPE STROBE; TOO LONG A PERIOD.  IT DID SEEM 
>TO BE AT A GREAT, BUT UNDETERMINED DISTANCE (NOT ATMOSPHERIC, I 
>BELIEVE).  I DO RECALL SEEING SOMETHING SIMILAR LAST WINTER FLYING 
>THE RED-EYE FROM LAX-JFK AT 39000FT, GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE OF 
>INCHES, SO IT PROBABLY WASN'T AN AIRBREATHER ABOVE US. (I'M AN 
>AIRLINE PILOT, BUT I KNOW YOU WON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST ME).  WHILE 
>DOING SOME STARGAZING, I AND ANOTHER CREWMEMBER  SAW THIS SAME 
>INTENSITY LIGHT WITH THE NAKED EYE IN THE VICINITY OF ANDROMEDA.  
>WHEN I SAW IT (TWICE), I THOUGHT I WAS ABOUT TO BE A WITNESS TO 
>SOME RARE COSMIC EVENT LIKE A SUPERNOVA.  I HAD THE SAME 
>THOUGHT THIS TIME, BUT NO SUCH LUCK ON BOTH.  
>     SO, GOT ANY IDEAS?  WELL, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, SINCE I'M NOT 
>QUITE UP ON MY ORBITAL SCIENCES.  IS LASER TECHNOLOGY USED IN 
>SATELLITE COMMUNICATION?   CAN ONE SEE HIGH INTENSITY LASERS IN 
>CLEAR AIR (I THOUGHT NOT)?  POSSIBLE ASAT (ANTI-SATELLITE) TESTS?  
>SURE, I'LL BUY THAT. ALTHOUGH UNCLE SAM DIDN'T SEEM TOO 
>CONCERNED THAT ANYONE WAS WATCHING, BUT WHAT ELSE IS NEW?  IS 
>THERE A SATELLITE THAT WOULD HAVE SOME HIGH INTENSITY STROBE 
>VISIBLE FROM EARTH (OR EVEN FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA)?  A FLASH 
>FROM A SOLAR COLLECTOR MAYBE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER THEORIES 
>THAT WOULD EXPLAIN A REPETITIVE FLASHING IN THE VISIBLE LIGHT 
>BAND?

>OBSERVER LOCATION:  MT. LAGUNA, CALIFORNIA  USA
>LAT/LONG:  N32 53.0/W116 25.5  ELEVATION: 6000FT
>DATE/TIME:  26SEP96/2030LOCAL (0430GMT)
>SKY: SEVERE CLEAR
>
>     THANKS.....KEVIN                     	   
>
>
>