Re: Satcom C4 flashing to naked eye range

From: Brad Young (allenb_young@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Dec 22 2009 - 04:23:49 UTC

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    So with Kevin's warning, I went out and saw a great 4th mag flash from Satcom C4 at 3:28. 
    
    I had driven my car over my folding chair during the previous session, so I just sat in a cheap plastic chair in the yard. Since I am not a small man, and the plastic was frigid, as I leaned back to view the next flash - CRACK - the chair broke, and I was dumped on the lawn flat on my back. Since only my pride was hurt, I went and got the real chair - it was fine even after the drive over - and saw 3 more flashes and a great meteor, all near Omicron 2 Eridanus, a nearby star in space.
    
    The last flash was at about 3:44 UT. Since I missed several, I won't issue a PPAS report, but I'd estimate 152 second period from the last 2 flashes I saw. 
    
    No telling what the stranded truck driver sleeping in his cab across the street thinks. He has seen both chair incidents, and me running around with a 12" scope and binoculars timing things in the cold. 
    
    TULSA1:
    COSPAR 8336 +36.1397, -95.9838, 201m
    
    
    
          
    
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