Re: Flashing Satellite with 80 second period

Mike McCants (mikem@freeside.fc.net)
Tue, 23 Feb 1999 22:47:51 -0600 (CST)

B.Katz wrote:

>Feb  22, 2:35 UT, near gamma Mono, 6:10 RA - 7 Dec.  Flashed approx. every
>80 seconds at the same altazimuth.  I saw 6 flashes and then went on to other
>observing.

Your Feb 21/22 observation matches the known flasher BS-3A (Yuri 3A).
I timed it a couple of nights ago at about 88 seconds.

     43.4000  79.6000 1200.      Toronto                 2000 14.0  20

  ***  99 Feb 21/22   Sun evening/ Mon morning  *** Times are UT ***

20771 BS-3A                       M 3.5 ELDY  7 M2   -1
304 12.1  22486  36 205    2   0    5 28.4  -7.2  23898
311 12.0  22485  37 205    2  30    5 58.0  -7.1  23896
319 11.9  22485  37 205    3   0    6 27.6  -7.0  23894

>Feb 13, 3:00 UT near Mu Ori, 5:30 RA - 7 Dec.  Flashed again at 3:19

I cannot match your Feb 11 and 13 observations.  Neither BS-3A nor
Gorizonts 14 or 17 were near that spot.  I found about 16 objects
in geosync orbit near the location specified for Feb 13.

Mike McCants