>Walter, > I agree with your assessment. Now that I have seen >a flare at 12 degrees I have started searching as low as 5 >degrees (my local horizon limit) for flares. > Randy > >Walter said... >As you can see by looking at the details below, I've been following >these >glints to lower and lower altitudes. I would like to question the >default >limit for altitude provided by glint prediction programs (IRIDFLAR, >Randy >John's program, GSOC, and any others). 1 or 2 degrees is probably >reasonable. Individual observers will want to adjust that upward as >required by local conditions, but bright glints are visible at very low >altitudes. I would believe a fractional altitude, i.e., less than 1 >degree, is possible. In DC, in the summer, the Sun sometimes disappears > >at 20 or even 30 degrees altitude. Typical urban or even suburban >environments can make observing at low altitude difficult. We don't >want >to frustrate newbies, but observers with good horizons shouldn't be >denied >bright glints. > > My horizonal limits are bad-- 40 degrees N 5-10 degrees E, 5 degrees wide section 5-15 degrees SE, 5-10 degrees wide section 30-35 degrees S Everything else is about 20-25 degrees. On most satellite passes, I lose the satellite 30 seconds to a minute before it goes into the Earth's shadow. My question is, is this O.K.? I can see most of all the satellites that pass by, but I cannot see most of them fade out. I haven't even tried for any Iridiums yet. They are so low! Jonathan j_wojack@hotmail.com ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com