re: ISS-Shuttle Tail

From: Tyler MacKenzie (tmackenz@mta.ca)
Date: Tue Oct 17 2000 - 07:55:39 PDT

  • Next message: Christian F. Ackermann: "Re: ISS-Shuttle Tail"

    Hi Clément,
    	I don't know about the second pass: engine firing or water dump,
    but I tend to think the region of darkness observed first pass (which I saw
    at ~exactly the time in nearby S.E. New Brunswick) was probably an
    illusion.  I watched this pass from 22h23 to 22h27 at a 73 deg. culminating
    pass to shadow entry, mostly through my 10" reflector.  I saw nothing but
    the satellite.  The shuttle and ISS stack were sharp, bright and clearly
    visable as a lopsided T shape.  I also saw a bright bulge from the shuttle
    tail fin and a constriction then blob on the top of the ISS stack (the
    Progress I believe).  Quite a sight, just make sure to catch it early with
    a wide angle to the sun or its brightness overcomes the detail.
    -Tyler MacKenzie
    
    PS: I saw a globalstar rocket depletion burn early this year and it too
    curved into a strange reflexing trumpet shape, and was huge (several
    degrees across) and bright.  I assume the very high drag to mass ratio of
    ice crystals would cause (especially at the low shuttle height) it to move
    lower and proceed and to curl around the shuttle quite quickly.  I'm sorry
    I didn't go to see the second pass last night!
    
    
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