Re: My folks think I'm crazy...
Mir16609@aol.com
Fri, 8 Oct 1999 11:57:50 EDT
In a message dated 10/08/1999 11:47:20 AM EDT, gambaro@citenet.net writes:
> .. Iridium 2 predicted flare
> never showed... I think I saw Iridium 2 go by (could have been something
> else) around +3 or +4 mag but I did not say a word... humiliation was
> already achieved, no need to add to it...
>
> But now, my folks think I'm crazy and I don't know what to tell them...
> any suggestions ?
Currently in the Usenet Newsgroup sci.astro.satellites.visual-observe there
is a thread called:
"Another Iridium question.."
One of the no-shows was Iridium 2. My response was:
--------------------------------------------
Iridium 86 ? 4.0 1.8 0.0 6.0 d 711 x 707
1 25528U 98066B 99279.26009012 +.00000065 +00000-0 +10150-4 0 01407
2 25528 086.5239 171.1598 0002510 064.2948 295.8511 14.54932501048715
Iridium 2 ? 4.0 1.8 0.0 6.0 d 644 x 623
1 25527U 98066A 99279.25434042 +.00001823 +00000-0 +24544-3 0 02450
2 25527 085.5684 119.1691 0015187 134.6642 225.5821 14.78543605049916
Iridium 61 4.0 1.8 0.0 6.0 d 779 x 776
1 25263U 98018B 99279.69087565 .00000134 00000-0 40747-4 0 1879
2 25263 86.4022 139.5945 0002067 98.8582 261.2848 14.34218103 80447
In order for Iridiums to flare, their orientation needs to be controlled to
within 0.5 degree. The "?" was meant to flag those that are probably not
being
controlled to that degree. Iridium 61, although not flagged with the "?" has
been known to be unreliable at times.
For additional info see:
http://www.satellite.eu.org/iridium.html
and
http://www.wingar.demon.co.uk/satevo/tle/iridstat.txt
----------------------------------------------------
Keep trying. -9 mag flares are difficult to forget.
Cheers
Don Gardner 39.1796 N, 76.8419 W, 34m ASL
Homepage: http://hometown.aol.com/mir16609/
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