90060 - very interesting

From: Ed Cannon (ecannon@mail.utexas.edu)
Date: Sat Dec 23 2006 - 21:04:24 EST

  • Next message: Steve Newcomb: "8539 obs Dec 23"

    Last night Mike found and I also watched the object 90060, which
    is probably a DSP in a failed, eccentric orbit.  In just a few
    minutes it went from from flashing to flashing brightly to rapid
    one-power flashes (at a long range) to then going almost steady
    and not very bright in the telescope and then began to flash
    again.  It's recommended!
    
    Not very long before time to get ready to go observing, I found
    that we were going to have a very low pass of the NavStar 58
    Delta (29488, 06-042C).  It went over south of here at an
    orbital height of about 90 miles (144 km) and was moving very
    rapidly with a brightest magnitude of about +1.
    
    Mike found ASC 1 (85-076C, 15994), and I was able to see a few
    flashes with 10x42 binoculars - with very long waits in between
    those flashes.
    
    In haste I left my apartment without my observing briefcase,
    which contains my 8x42 and 12x60 binoculars, red flashlight,
    and Bright Star Atlas 2000!  Mike loaned me his very nice new
    red flashlight and my former Wal-Mart US$30 10x42 roof-prism
    binocular (which is surprisingly useful for being such a
    low-end model).  I had managed to carry the Sky & Telescope
    Pocket Sky Atlas as well as my Herald-Bobroff atlas, although
    I didn't open the latter.
    
    Tonight it's raining.
    
    Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays to all!
    
    Ed Cannon - Austin, Texas, USA
    
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