STS-98 Launch Obs

From: Mir16609@aol.com
Date: Wed Feb 07 2001 - 17:23:25 PST

  • Next message: Craig Cholar: "STS-98 Element set"

    Hello Everyone.
    
    Three straight Shuttle launches.  I must be on a roll.
    
    Observing Site: 
    Carrs Mill --- 39.3183N, 77.0338W, 100m ALS
    Conditions: Haze, Partly Cloudy
    
    First at 23:05 UTC the ISS was observed at about a -1 mag passing R->L above 
    Sirius (Az 135, El 20 deg).  There was enough ambient light that the copper 
    color was not obvious.
    
    Goddard Amateur Radio Club is having a problem with their feeds from the 
    shuttle.   This rendered the scanner useless for launch info.  A quick call 
    home confirmed that the shuttle had launched 2 minutes late at 23:13 UTC.  
    It's really nice to have the actual launch time when observing conditions are 
    marginal.  At 23:18:30 I acquired the Shuttle low in the SE at about a +1 
    Mag.  As it passed through the clear parts of the sky it was as bright as 
    Sirius.  I believe that I observer the "throttle back" at 23:19.  AT 23:21:30 
    MECO ended the show.   It was much too hazy to see the External Fuel Tank 
    separation burns.
    
    Cheers,
    Don Gardner  39.1799 N, 76.8406 W, 100m ASL
    http://hometown.aol.com/mir16609/
    
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