MIR + Progress + something strange...
Kurt Jonckheere (kjonckheere@unicall.be)
Thu, 7 Aug 1997 00:56:02 +0200
Around 21h04 UT I saw MIR, followed by Progress M 35 in about
7.5 +- 0.3 seconds. MIR was magnitude -1, Progress around +3.
Till 21h40 UT I focussed on the same path to see some of the
Soyuz objects, but did not succeeded (because of clouds ?).
Although at 21h19m47s I saw an orange-coloured object
rising fast in the West (elevation of 25 degr, when I first noticed it),
going to the zenith. Its magnitude increased to -3 and near the
zenith some (about ten) yellow-orange pieces fell off the object.
Just after the zenith (elevation of 80 degrees) it faded away.
It took about 2 to 3 seconds to go from elevation +25 to the zenith.
It went from about (alfa 13h50, delta +21) to (alfa 17h40, delta +46).
Was this a meteor or a decay ??
I think magnitude -3 is not bright enough for an object like 97- 22 B
(SL-6) or a Soyuz rocket. Also the latest elements from Alan seem
to exclude this possibility.
Maybe it was another Mir debris ?
Somebody has an idea ?
Greetings,
Kurt Jonckheere (kjonckheere@unicall.be)