USA 129........bright flare through cloud!

From: John Locker (john@satcom.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Tue Apr 15 2008 - 21:25:36 UTC

  • Next message: Marco Langbroek: "SATOBS ML (4353) CAM, 15 Apr 2008: USA 186, Lacrosse 5, IGS 1A, B" 

    Tonight would have made an ideal imaging pass at just 290km ...  85 degree 
elevation , but as always the cloud got in the way.
However it flared sufficiently to become a naked eye object for a few 
seconds , bright enough to be seen through the thin cloud layer.
Estimated mag -1

Hopefully Marco had more luck.

Meanwhile , back on April 10 I did mange to image it at about 340 km range.
Close inspection of the images reveals a hubble type design ( not a typical 
"T" shape as I first thought )  about 4 to  5 metres across.

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/satcom_transits/USA129a.jpg

John




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