For those who like watching really fast satellite passes, 25935 = 99-055C
("GPS 2R-3 Delta2 r2") is making evening near-perigee passes in the area
of 35 - 40 degrees North latitude. This object has a 3 hour 10 minute
(anomalistic) period and its perigee of approximately 208 km, is currently
at 37.0 degrees North and slowly increasing towards its maximum of 38.7
degrees. Current TLE:
NAVSTAR 46 R/B(PAM-D)
1 25935U 99055C 04240.01235107 .00092911 00000-0 10914-2 0 238
2 25935 38.7104 181.5468 3988815 74.2668 325.4395 7.58283947102116
Despite hazy moonlit skies, I had no problem watching it zip from near
alpha HER to beta AQL in just 24 seconds! It seemed to be varying irregularly
and resembled in brightness the previously-mentioned stars as it passed
them. The corresponding quicksat intrinsic magnitudes were +4.6 to 5.7
and the [Rob Matson's] SkyMap standard magnitudes were +5.6 and +7.0.
In IOD format:
25935 99 055C 0000 P 20040827003907000 28 +028 03
25935 99 055C 0000 P 20040827003931000 28 +037 03
Clear and dark skies!
Ed Light
Lakewood, NJ, USA
N 40.1075, W 074.2312, +24 m (80 ft)
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