Re: Exceptional (?) obs. of C*1461

JAY RESPLER (jrespler@injersey.com)
Fri, 9 Aug 1996 00:58:42 -0400 (EDT)

On Thu, 8 Aug 1996, Bjoern Gimle wrote:
> Yesterday 960807 at 21:20 UT I happened to see a very bright
> satellite at about 40 degrees elevation in the southeast,
> from Delphinus to Pegasus. A search with SkyMap revealed no
> candidate brighter than magnitude 5, but after computing an orbit,
> and before reporting an unknown, I made another search with mag<6.0.
> 
> To match this observation, quicksat.mag should have 1.6,
> satmag.dat 2.5 as standard magnitudes !
> 
> The satellite was steady, except for effect of phase and range.

I saw this 9/91, east, elev 47 deg.  Mag 4 . 
The next day in the west, el 27 deg, I found it in binoculars at mag 3.8 
for several sec.  Then in faded to mag 6-6 1/2.
So, while not flashing, it does seem to get much brighter than expected 
for some extended periods.

Jay Respler
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