Two bright satellites

From: J. Thomas Jeffrey (RangerThomasJ@netscape.net)
Date: Fri Jun 04 2004 - 02:54:47 EDT

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    Hello:
    
    I had just seen my first satellite with my new 20X90 binoculars (Cosmos 
    1726 passing through Lyra) on June 4 at 0605 UT. I followed the 
    satellite for about 60 seconds.
    
    I then turned and looked south and just north of the star Spica I was 
    shocked to see two very bright objects very close together heading 
    north. They were both very bright (I would estimate magnitude -4). I had 
    apparently caught them when they were both undergoing a flare. Within a 
    minute they were no longer visible to the naked eye. I followed them 
    with my binoculars. Both of them were visible within the same field of 
    view about 3 degrees apart. One object appeared to orangish in color 
    (like Gravity Probe B).
    
    I have been viewing satellites for years and have made over 1,000 
    observations but I have never ever seen anything like this. They were 
    not aircraft. The Heavens-Above site did not list any satellites in this 
    area that were bright at this time. There was also no iridium satellite 
    flares listed for my area for this time. I would like to know what these 
    satellites were. Perhaps a rocket launch?
    
    J. Thomas Jeffrey
    Hypatia Astronomical Observatory
    16 inch Meade Dob and 20X90 binoculars
    Bend, Oregon USA  44.14. N  -121 26 W 3,207 feet  (November-April)
    Crater Lake National Park, Oregon USA  42.53 N  -122. 08 W 6,400 feet 
    (May-October)
    
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