Ir 19 observation

STUARTATK@aol.com
Sat, 5 Jun 1999 18:23:09 EDT

Hi all,

Disappointing observation of Iridium 19 to report. 

GSOC predicted a -6 flare at 22.58 local time so I tramped down to my 
riverside observing spot, plonked myself on a park bench and waited... bats 
were diving and swooping across a sky painted a beautiful powder-blue, and 
streaked with rose-pink vapor trails, and Venus was blazing like a lantern 
above the trees... Ir19 appeared right on time, a little above and to the 
right of the magnitude -4.3 "Evening Star", but it failed to even reach mag 
-2   I thought... very disappointing...

I've enjoyed reading everyone's STS-96 / Babylon 1 (*love* that idea!) 
observing reports... looking forward to being able to see it in a couple of 
days. 

Clear skies to you all,

Stuart Atkinson
Cockermouth, Cumbria, UK   54 deg 30 N    3 deg 30 W