New user, with a question-

From: Paul Grace (paulgrace@lookoutranch.com)
Date: Wed Dec 03 2008 - 06:57:25 UTC

  • Next message: Ed Cannon: "re: New user, with a question-"

    Hello, my name is Paul Grace, I am a new subscriber to your list.  I'm an
    amateur science buff, and have a rough knowledge of the night sky.  My
    coefficient of geek is: I "predict" daytime iridium flares at the office
    parking lot to fellow employees for the amusement value.  I have been
    referred to this site as a resource that might be able to answer my
    question-to wit:
    
    I view the sky from a very unpolluted site, at 123.545W  38.956N UTC-8  
    
    Sunday Morning, 2008 Nov 30, 00:15 PST I was observing the sky with no
    particular aim, and I noticed a bright flashing light about magnitude 3-4
    on, for about 0.5 seconds, off a few seconds (5-6?), looking much like a
    very high altitude aircraft strobe.  The light cycled like this several
    times before I noticed that it was not moving against the stars.  The
    flashes were somewhat irregular, sometimes missing a flash, sometimes the
    flash was down near mag 7, only visible through my binoculars.  This
    continued for perhaps 15 minutes, and then it stopped.  During the 15 minute
    period, I noticed the object was drifting slowly eastward against the stars,
    and it seemed to be at the ecliptic, although I didn't have my telescope
    available to determine its accurate position.  After, I went back inside I
    estimated its location slightly above the ecliptic at about RA 3h 18m Dec
    +01.78 best guess. (Azm 211, Alt 48.5)
    
    I think I was observing a flare, from a Geostationary satellite.  Because it
    was so bright, I think it must be a tumbling 3-axis sat, a spinner wouldn't
    have large reflecting surfaces.  A LEO sat would not likely be illuminated
    by the sun near midnight.
    
    Is there a way to determine what bird it might be?  Is there a tumbling
    3-axis GEO satellite known in that region? (what would this be, 154 west
    longitude?)
    
    I thought it was pretty cool, my wife was impressed too!
    
    Any comments would be appreciated, I'm a newbie here, so if this isn't the
    proper forum, please be gentle...
    
    
    Paul Grace
    www.lookoutranch.com
    
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