A brilliant magnitude -7.6 Iridium flare in city skies

From: Tom Wagner (sciteach@mchsi.com)
Date: Thu Feb 15 2007 - 00:51:06 EST

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    Below is a URL to a picture I took of a brilliant magnitude -7.6 flare from 
    Iridium 96 shot from Waterloo, Iowa USA on 2/14/07. The flare details: 
    azimuth: NNE, altitude: 51°, constellation: Camelopardalis, distance: 848 
    km, local time: 18:54:45 , UTC offset: -6 hours, Nikon Coolpix 4500, focal 
    length: 48 mm as 35 mm equivalent, exposure time: 61s, f/2.8, ISO: 200.
    
    
    
    The trees are lit up by street lights. I had the camera on a tripod. I 
    guessed at the azimuth but used an angle locator to estimate the proper tilt 
    on the camera. I started the picture about 40 seconds early and ended it 
    when the satellite faded from my vision. The angle locator can be seen here: 
    http://www.abccatalog.com/store/viewitem.asp?idproduct=4944875002
    
    
    
    The flare is here: 
    http://s138.photobucket.com/albums/q262/IowaTom/?action=view¤t=Copy3ofIridFlare2-14-07.jpg
    
    
    
    Tom  Iowa  USA
    
    42D 28M  24.84S, -92D  21M  36.9S
    42.47357, -92.36025
    
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