Unexpecteds

Ed Cannon (ecannon@mail.utexas.edu)
Sun, 14 Dec 1997 14:50:46 -0600

Unexpected observation:

00:29:00, 14 Dec 1997 UTC; southbound, about mag. +3 for about 5-10 
seconds.  Appears to have been 13736, 82-118A, DMSP 2-1, predicted
mag. 5.4.  I saw this one as I was recapping another southbound 
unexpected (no big deal, 11822, 80-44B, Cosmos 1184 Rk) that I saw 
while looking for a minor Iridium flare (which I missed)!

Unexpected non-observations:

Two nights in a row (Dec. 13 and 14 UTC) I had mag. +2.8 predictions
for Cosmos 1953 (19210, 88-50A) -- last night quite high -- and was 
not able to see it either time (one-power).  Either I have its 
intrinsic mag. too high or had poor angles both times (?).  Usually 
on good nights such as the last two I'm able to see +2.8 predicted 
objects from by my apartment, even though it's a poor observing 
location.  (I haven't gone to a better location due to still being 
"under the weather".)  Time to drag out the binoculars, I guess.

Ed Cannon
ecannon@mail.utexas.edu
Austin, Texas, USA -- 30.3086N, 97.7279W, 150m