Dear List, My name is Art Glick, and I'm a "lurker" to this list. I don't usually have much to contribute. Most of you guys are way beyond my level, which usually amounts to checking Heavens Above at dusk most clear evenings. I have an 8" SC scope, but could never hope to catch a fast moving object through it. My interest goes back to looking for (but not seeing) Sputnik as a boy in Philadelphia in the 1950's, and I've probably "logged" (mentally, at least) tens of thousands of obs over the many years since. My most memorable observation was of the Italian tether which crossed a brisk early morning sky as eerily as anything I think I've ever seen in my life. It was stretched out straight and the diameter of the full moon! I would agree with many of the listers here that the magnitude of the ISS has increased quite dramatically over the past few months, and it lately seems to appear here at least several mags greater than that predicted by H-A. I'd swear I've seen it as bright as -6, using the I-flare magnitudes as a guide. I enjoy reading the posts on this list very much, and especially appreciate the decay predictions I've seen (keep 'em coming!). I won't usually have much to contribute, but you'll know I'm there reading and enjoying all your posts. The reason I was inclined to write was the following post... >Dear List, > > I would be interested in seeing photos taken by amateurs of >Starshine 3. I have read somewhere that its behaviour is similar to an >Iridium flare when observed and I would like to see some samples, if >possible, of its behaviour. > >Anthony. > As an elementary school student, my daughter polished mirrors for Starshine I, and we were even lucky enough to be able to travel to the Cape to see its launch (my first of two shuttle launches!). Our luck continued upon our return to West Virginia, as Starshine I was released less than one orbit from a near overhead pass one morning. Despite a fairly bright moon that morning, I am one that can count himself among those lucky enough to see strobes from Starshine I, and that's what they were - very brief, very bright flashes of light (as opposed to the gradual brightening and dimming of an I-flare). Now most of you listers are better than I (despite a B.S. in Engineering), and the ONLY reason we were lucky enough to see those three flashes from Starshine was because we KNEW that it was right off the "bow" of the shuttle. Gil Moore (the force behind Starshine) had no idea about the intrinsic brightness of Starshine I, and its rotational rate ended up being much slower than expected (less flashes), but we didn't know this when we watched the shuttle come up over the horizon that morning. We didn't know what to think as it passed nearly overhead and we saw nothing else at all. Almost ready to give up, our eyes remained fixed on the shuttle, and as it neared the opposite horizon, we saw flash, flash, flash. It made it all worthwhile. If I had to estimate, I'd say the flashes were between -2 and -4 in magnitude. After that first pass, we tried numerous times to spot a flash from Starshine I but never were able to do so. It's been a few years since then, and I've tried on occasion to spot the other Starshine, too, but it takes some diligence that I simply don't have the time to contribute. You'd have to have the correct TLE, a very accurately set watch and a carefully plotted track. You just have to be looking in the right spot in the sky at just the right time, and you'll have nothing but your math to guide you. I'd say that's an impossible challenge for a casual, unaided-eye observer like yours truly. To the rest of your listers, keep up the good work with this list. Sorry to take up so much space, but I thought some of you might like to know about one of the lurkers to this list (I'll bet we're many). Best Regards, Art Glick Cordova WV 38.067N, 80.434W, 2950' Elevation Almost Heaven Overseas HC 67 Box 539 BB Renick WV 24966 Phone 304-497-2610 Fax 304-497-2698 e-mail art@almostheaven.net http://www.almostheaven.net/ ---------------------------------------------- Offering direct sales of Saunas, Steamrooms and the widest selection of Pool, Spa, Sauna and Hot Tub Equipment worldwide. "We're not just overseas anymore" ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Dec 13 2001 - 16:34:43 EST