After several days with clouds it was claer Jan 24th; although some fog at the horizon; after I observed 90-78 B the fog moved in and I had to stop. Jan 25 it became clear later in the evening and I was able to do some observations before the earthshadow came to high. 63- 38 A 97-01-25 20:16 LB S, mag 7 78- 18 B 97-01-25 19:14:37 LB 61.4 1.0 20 3.07 FF, mag 5->7, sm, mag 7 78- 42 A 97-01-25 19:39:13 LB 76.3 0.2 14 5.45 FF, mag 6->inv, 1 fl -1 88- 1 A 97-01-25 18:52 LB S, mag 3 90- 78 B 97-01-24 17:30 LB almost S, mag 5 92- 8 B 97-01-25 20:16:27 LB 126.4 0.2 22 5.75 FF, mag 4->inv 94- 24 B 97-01-25 19:00:50 LB 196.1 1.0 2 98.0 MM, mag 3->7 94- 77 B 97-01-25 19:10:33 LB 59.9 1.0 1 60 MM, mag 3->7 Notes: 63- 38 A I picked up this sat when I was observing 92- 8 B, which was followed by a few degrees by this faint sat, the Ablestarrocket of the Transit 5B-1 launch. Last obs was on 89-02-08 by Horst Kohnke, who saw it also S. This is one of the objects in the PPAS ORBIT program. Identification was done by using Skymap. 78- 18 B It seems 78- 18 B is accelerating a bit. In dec 96 it was 3.11 and has during jan 97 gradually come down and is now 3.07 sec. 78- 42 A Not quite clear what the real period is. I timed the following sharp flashes: 17.97 4.38 6.36 12.37 20.66 3.70 5.66 5.20 sec. One flash was very bright to mag -1; some to mag 3. 92- 8 B Is absolutely accelerating! Was 12.79 sec in dec 96; and now 5.75 sec! Even if this is the half period ( what I doubt, as all flashes were equally bright) it still has accelerate. -- Greetings and clear skies Leo Barhorst Alkmaar The Netherlands 52.65 North 4.767 East 1 m ASL Member of Seesat-L ------------------------------------------------------------ Every day I wonder about the things I see in the (night)sky