I see now - of course! I observed STS-99 a couple of days later. I didn'te
xpect to see it so soon after launch.
Ta for the help everyone.
______________________________ Forward Header __________________________________
Subject: RE: Unidentified subject!
Author: nigel.evans@bt.com at MHS
Date: 28/02/2000 13:08
Matt
As you are in the UK (yorkshire?), I think you saw the space shuttle STS99-
the radar mapper mission. It was launched at about 17:45 and, for high
inclination orbits (51 or 56 degrees), passes over the UK about 20 minutesl
ater. On the first orbit (as this was) the shuttle was accompanied by thed
iscarded external tank(ET), which burnt up over the Indian Ocean as it wasi
n a sub-orbital trajectory. The ET was the lower object and had a
distinctive orange colour to it. I too saw it, but it was clear and I wasn't
driving! Also you /brother-in-law may have noticed a small cloud moving with
them - discarded propellant from the ET being vented into space.
To catch the shuttle like this is quite a fortunate observation as the
shuttle needs to come over on its first orbit while it is still in daylighta
nd you are in darkness (twilight anyway). I have only seen one before under
poorer conditions i.e. cloudy and moonlight
Nigel
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matthew_Fawcett@eastriding.gov.uk
> [SMTP:Matthew_Fawcett@eastriding.gov.uk]
> Sent: 28 February 2000 12:08
> To: SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com
> Subject: Re: Unidentified subject!
>
>
> I have dug out notes I made on a similar observation 2 weeks ago.
>
> At around 18:10 UT on 11/2/2000 I was driving home when me and my
> Brother in Law observed 2 bright objects (approx -2) moving parallel>
and fairly fast moving SW to N. Approx 1 full moon width apart. Due
>
> to clouds (and I was driving!) contact with object was not long.
> Could have been an aircraft but V. unlikely - it was above high
> clouds
> and would therefore have to have been one huge fast airplane! I have
>
> seen similar objects before.
>
> I am fairly new to this and I confess I can offer no explanation.
>
> Matt
>
>
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________
> Subject: Unidentified subject!
> Author: SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com at MHS
> Date: 27/02/2000 22:04
>
>
> Hello I'm Felix. I am a student of Biology in Halle (Germany) (N 51.4731°a
> nd E 11.9669°). I need your help.
>
> I've never watched satellites as a hobby, but recently I saw something
> andh
> ave no idea whom to ask what this might be. It was definitely not a
> normals
> atellite as one sees them a dozen times a night.
>
> It was on the 27th of February 2000, 29 minutes past midnight, in Halle.>
The
> sky was clear. We were five people (all have seen it) and I discovered 2>
bright dots travelling very fast from East towards the western horizon
> (right above us). The bright dots seemed larger than "normal" satellites.T
> he distance between them was approximately 3 or 4 times their diameter.>
They flew on a parallel course. And the amazing thing about them was
> theirs
> peed. They were moving so fast that we saw them just for 6 or 7 seconds.T
> hen they disappeared in the dust of the horizon. We have a lot of air
> traffic here, but I'm sure it was not a plane (there were no flashing
> lights
> and it was moving too fast). And it had no tail or anything else, so it>
wasn
> ot a falling star.
>
> I have checked this site:
> http://www.heavens-above.com/allsats.asp?lat=51.500&lng=12.000&alt=0&loc=H
> al
> le&TZ=CET&Date=36582.2291666667&Mag=4.5 and found no visible satellite
> passing by at that early time in the morning.
> So I had no other idea than to ask you. Was it a satellite we've seen and>
if
> yes - what type of satellite travels so fast? It would be very kind of
> yout
> o help us with this question.
>
> Thanks a lot,
>
> felix berthelmann
>
>
>
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