Re-entry observed?

Luca Bertagnolio (berta@micronet.it)
Thu, 12 Feb 1998 00:28:04 +0100

Hello list,

tonight, coming back to Milan from Rome by car, I saw a very bright object
re-entering with a spectacular yellow-white flash;  I was also able to see
fragments of the object being separated.  What a sight!  Couldn't be more
lucky, I spotted this while on a mountain highway, with lots of tunnels,
and moreover the flash was just ahead of me, I didn't even have to turn my
head!

Now, the useful data, in case someone can extrapolate.

Lat:   44 deg 30 min N
Lon:   10 deg E
Elev:  approx 600 m
Time:  20:02:20 UTC
Position relative to stars: NNE, between Polaris and Ursa Major
Duration:  about 5 sec
Elevation: about 50 deg down to about 30 deg

Hope this info can lead to something, good hunting!

Ciao, Luca
Milan, Italy