I realise this message has no Visual Satellite Observing content, but am encouraged that it would be acceptable by the positive response that I have received. On February 26, 1998 there is a total eclipse of the Sun. Some of you will be travelling to Central America or the Caribbean to experience this wondrous spectacle of nature. Satellites too can experience eclipse, cutting down the light that they reflect for us to be able to observe them. An inspection of the eclipse track diagrams indicates that once the Umbra leaves the Earth's surface at around 19:09 U.T. it is possible it will envelope any satellites in the vicinity of 30North, 10West. A list of a few possible satellites is given below, and it would be interesting to investigate if any of these is likely to disappear, not in the Earth's shadow but into the Lunar shadow. 06153 OAO 3 06207 Cos521R 12457 Meteor2-7R 12465 Cos1271R 12443 Cos1269R 10856 OTS 2R 04391/2 Mao 1 & R 19195 Cos1950 15595 Geosat 25039 Iridium43 25040 Iridium41 25043 Iridium38 23793 Cos2328R 24285 Fast ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- best wishes Russell Eberst @ North: 55 degrees, 56 minutes, 55 seconds West: 3 degrees, 8 minutes, 18 seconds: 43metres (150 feet) above sea-level -----------------------------------------------------------------------------