Re: raduga 33 flashes

From: Björn Gimle (b_gimle@algonet.se)
Date: Tue Aug 26 2003 - 07:29:54 EDT

  • Next message: David Brierley: "DMB Obs Aug 24"

    Kurt,
    
    indeed they help! From several observations I am fairly confident that I
    know the axis position, but I have one that doesn't fit. Assuming this
    could be a different reflecting surface, I took a chance to observe at my
    predicted flash time 21:15 UTC (from Stockholm), and found it
    immediately. It stayed brighter than +2 for about 10 minutes.
    
    Bram's observation helps define the extent and/or direction of the flash
    track, but I would be grateful for one clarification : is 21:10 the first
    flash, or the centre of a 6.5 minute sequence (or perhaps the last flash
    observed) ?
    
    Extrapolating my obs, counting from my flash 21:16:56 UT, the 13 flashes
    might have occurred 21:10:17 to 21:16:56 (!), or 21:06:58 to 21:13:37, or
    21:03:38 to 21:10:17 (unless there was a "phase-shift" = switch-over to
    another reflecting surface in the meantime).
    
    From a few selected West-Vlaanderen locations at www.heavens-above.com,
    the location could be close to 51.0N, 3.0E.
    The positions (2000.0) corresponding to Bram's obs for the suggested
    times are then:
    21:03:38 18:17.5 +17.5
    21:06:58 19:38.5 +28
    21:10:17 20:50   +33
    21:13:37 21:46   +35
    21:16:56 22:28.5 +35
    
    My obs in PPAS format:
    Björn Gimle, BJG, Site #5918 Lat = 59.2985, Long = 18.1045 , Alt = 33 m
    96- 10 A 03-08-24 21:33:00.47BJG1030.5 0.2  31 33.237 fF-- mag -1 ssm
    96- 10 A 03-08-24 22:24:59.47BJG 398.0 0.2  12 33.177 FF mag 4
    
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    
    >
    > Bram Gekiere, while observing Mars, saw 13 flashes, half a minute
    apart.
    > First flashes were as bright as Vega, last were less bright
    > This occured around Sunday, 24 Aug 2003, 21:10 U.T.
    > He was observing in the south part of West-Flanders (Belgium)
    > He says the satellite just moved about 10 degrees during these 13
    flashes.
    >
    > maybe this observation helps to predict when these bright flashes occur
    >
    
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