re: 1998040B (25380) Molniya R
Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu)
Thu, 9 Jul 1998 09:04:46 -0400 (EDT)
JackWx@aol.com writes:
> Subject: 1998040B (25380) Molniya R
> Observed Molniya R July 7 0237Z at 40-50 degrees elevation and 70 degrees
> azimuth. Magnitude about 1.5 with almost a full moon to the south. No sighting
> on 1998040C (25381) Molniya Platform which was to have made a pass about 20
> minutes later but with less altitude.
My voice may be sounding a bit echoic lately, but I had very, very similar
experience, and could almost have written Jack's comment verbatim.
Guided by QuickSat output of:
*** 1998 July 7 *** Times are UT *** 2 3 859
H M S TIM AL AZI C U MAG SHD RNG R A DEC
25380 2 35 44 60 126 C 46 17.8 34 320 1747 20.6 Moln 3-49r1 ***
25381 2 54 38 56 309 C 48 18.5 24 304 1312 54.4 Moln 3-49pl ***
I recorded 25380 at mag 1 or 2 in Hercules, with irregular, difficult to
perceive, dimmings, many per minute. These dimmings could have been poor
"seeing", seeing in the astronomical sense, meaning poor atmospheric
stability; except the seeing wasn't that bad for other objects. I wasn't
able to get a period. Never saw 25381.
Unfortunately, 25380's visibility seems to be moving rapidly away from our
latitude. I hope others at other latitudes will have good opportunities.
It was, as Ed Cannon reported, trucking right along.
I agree 25380 is a good fit to Eric Vondra's UnID.
OIG elsets (w/better names):
Moln 3-49pl
1 25381U 98040C 98190.35355518 .02396510 82336-5 74645-3 0 401
2 25381 62.7838 208.5684 0115443 125.5024 235.7644 16.11303209 1339
Moln 3-49r1
1 25380U 98040B 98190.28443684 .00808155 81745-5 70237-3 0 355
2 25380 62.7605 208.8487 0092785 135.7235 225.1404 16.03949184 1329
A word to the wise: with these low objects, watch the TIM output from
QuickSat very carefully, obtaining fresh elsets as needed, and even if it
isn't too bad (too large), observe the tagline below.
Cheers.
Walter Nissen dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu
-81.8637, 41.3735, 256m elevation
---
If you are a little late, you won't see it;
If you are a little early, you will see it.