Gorizonts 23 and 16, USA 81, Celestis

From: Ed Cannon (ecannon@mail.utexas.edu)
Date: Sun Jun 10 2001 - 03:48:31 PDT

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    I managed to find Gorizont 23 (21533) with my 10x50 binoculars 
    at about 4:42:11 June 10 UTC.  The flashes were quick.  Mike 
    McCants got it in his telescope and observed a strongly 
    asymmetrical secondary, which I got at about 28.9, 21.9.  As 
    Mike was observing the satellite in his finder, the flashes 
    were growing fainter fairly rapidly.  
    
    91- 46 A 01-06-10 05:01:37.9 EC 1167.2 0.3  23 50.75  +6.0->inv
    
    In line with what Robert Fenske reported some days ago, Gorizont 
    16 (19397) seems to be continuing to slow down:
    
    88- 71 A 01-06-10 06:19:48.4 EC 3979.4 0.5  42 94.75  +4.5->inv
    
    So here's an extended summary with some of my results included 
    with Robert's:
    
    EC 16 May: 94.19
    RF 30 May: 94.50
    RF 03 Jun: 94.59
    RF 05 Jun: 94.64
    EC 10 Jun: 94.75
    
    A while ago when I attempted to time USA 81 two or three 
    degrees to the right of gamma Cephei, it appeared to be 
    about 15 to 20 seconds late on these elements:
    
    USA 81           6.0  3.0  0.0  6.0 v  5.0
    1 21949U 92023A   01123.65652101 0.00000350  00000-0  13580-3 0    05
    2 21949  85.0060 317.8193 0000500  39.5832 320.4167 14.30033645    05
    
    Observed "wrong-way" Celestis (24780, 97-018B) on a good pass, 
    and two others crossed with it as I tracked it.  It's tumbling, 
    but I find it kind of hard to time; it seems to have a flash 
    and a tumble.  The period from flash to flash may be about 12 
    seconds.
    
    Ed Cannon - ecannon@mail.utexas.edu - Austin, Texas, USA
    
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