->Spectacular! > >The re-entry path was only a little more than one degree below Polaris >at 5:30:18 CDT (10:30:18 UT). This was definitely later and higher than >the NASA prediction. > >The magnitude of the orange fireball seemed to be slightly fainter >than Jupiter, so I think -2.0 is a good estimate. > >A double sonic boom was clearly heard 6 minutes, 32 seconds after >passage below Polaris. The ion trail was visible in binoculars for >over 3 1/2 minutes after passage below Polaris and it appeared >to drift from the east to the west at a rate of about one degree >per minute. > >NASA entry prediction: > > CITY TIME ELEV AZ ELSUN BOOM > Austin, TX 5:30:07 CDT 26.5 N (357.5) -13.2 7:24 > >Mike McCants >Austin, TX > I have to agree, it was spectacular! I am in New Orleans, LA and here it passed about 60 degrees up in the north heading slightly south of east. I am not quite sure of the time as my time cube was off, but my best estimate was about 5:32 am CDT. It was a bright orange with a large smoke trail. It was at least -2.0, but I didn't have much to judge it by as the sky was getting bright. I also didn't here the sonic boom. I am not sure why, maybe it was just because I was too amazed by what I was seeing to here anything. My only regret is that I don't think I got a good picture of it...