Re: New Geosync flasher discovered by Ed Cannon
Brian Hunter (bkh@chem.QueensU.CA)
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 14:08:53 -0500
Talk about ironic!
I observed 1990 77A on Saturday night but was not sure of its identity.
I observed both objects ( 1990 77A and 1992 21C ) last night and had not
had time to report. ;-(
For what it is worth, we were observing these objects at the same time. I
was actually looking for Galaxy 7 when the Ariane intruded and I never did
find Galaxy 7 even though the Ariane stage passed very close to it.
Some of the flashes from YURI are very bright and some are hard to see at
all. Even with a 10", I could not see it between flashes.
Is it time for Rob Matson to predict a rotation axis?
BKH
Brian K. Hunter, Department of Chemistry
Professor Queen's University
bkh@chem.queensu.ca Kingston, Ontario
(613)-545-2620 Canada K7L 3N6
44 14' N 76 30' W
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike McCants <mikem@freeside.fc.net>
To: SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com <SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com>
Date: Monday, December 14, 1998 2:01 PM
Subject: New Geosync flasher discovered by Ed Cannon
>A new geosync flasher discovered last night by Ed Cannon has been
>identified as BS-3A (1990 77A, 20771).
>
>The SSR entry says:
>
>20771 90-077A BS-3A (YURI 3A) JPN 1457.4 0.6 36235 36168
>
>The prediction for the "Canyon of the Eagles" observing site was:
>
> *** 98 Dec 13 Sun evening *** Times are CST (UT - 6) ***
>
>20771 BS-3A 90 77A M 3.5 ELDY 6 M2 -1
> MAG HGT ALT AZI HRS MIN R A DEC RANGE
> 11.8 22505 52 163 8 0 1 37.4 -5.8 23216
> 11.7 22502 52 163 8 30 2 7.0 -5.8 23214
> 11.6 22499 52 163 9 0 2 36.5 -5.9 23211
> 11.6 22497 52 163 9 30 3 6.1 -5.9 23209
> 11.6 22494 52 164 10 0 3 35.7 -5.9 23205
>
>The current elset is:
>
>1 20771U 90077A 98342.05056377 -.00000161 +00000-0 +00000-0 0 02676
>2 20771 000.6223 150.2632 0007956 339.5909 267.8460 00.98809662036242
>
>Ed noticed naked-eye flashes at alt 52, azi 163 around 8PM.
>I was able to acquire the object in my 8 inch telescope.
>
>I timed 12 cycles in 1058.4 seconds to give a period of 88.2 seconds.
>
>Some flashes were very bright (mag 2 or 3) and some were fainter
>(5 or 6). The flashes gradually became fainter over the next 30
>minutes. However, I could see occasional tumbles to about magnitude
>11 in my 8 inch as I tracked it over the next 3 hours.
>
>The flashes were seen from about 02:00UT to 02:30UT Dec 14.
>We will look again tonight. Of course other observers are
>encouraged to try to determine the time of maximum flashing
>as seen across the US.
>
>Ed also noticed the Telecom 2B Ariane rocket going by just to the
>north of BS-3A about 9:10CST.
>
>21941 Ariane Rk 92 21C 15 M 3.0 ELDY 4 M2 54
> MAG HGT ALT AZI HRS MIN R A DEC RANGE
> 10.0 12809 53 163 9 5 2 40.4 -5.5 13442
> 9.9 12376 53 163 9 10 2 47.6 -5.6 13013
> 9.8 11924 52 162 9 15 2 55.3 -5.8 12568
>
>It was tunbling to about magnitude 10 with a period of about 4 seconds.
>I have observed it several times in the past.
>
>Mike McCants
>Austin, Tx
>
>