The following URL was sent to me by David Dunham: http://vegaclub.com/Unknown.htm The web page shows a "cloud" that moved from south to east on Feb 12/13, 2005. It was first seen about 21:45 UT on Feb 12. (This is Feb 13 at 3:15 AM local time.) The below is from Jonathan McDowell's Space Report: Ariane 5 ECA Arianespace, CNES and ESA launched the second Ariane 5ECA, vehicle 521, from Kourou on Feb 12 at 2103 UTC. The main payload is XTAR-EUR, an X-band military communications satellite owned by Hisdesat/XTAR of Spain and built by Loral. --- So the sighting occurred about 45 minutes after the launch. I have generated predictions for Bombay using the tles for the Ariane 5 rocket in its transfer orbit. The transfer orbit for the payload was only slightly different. Lat 19.0N Long 72.8E *** 2005 Feb 12 *** Times are UT NCat 28543 Ariane 5 rocket Hrs Min Alt Azi Mag Hgt R A Dec Range (miles) 21 45 36 171 7.4 2838 12 43.6 -34.9 3683 21 50 37 155 8.0 3638 13 42.4 -29.3 4517 Note: the report says that the cloud was over Theta Centauri at 21:50. Theta Centauri is RA 14Hr 7 Mn, Dec -36 degrees. That appears to be about 8 degrees below this prediction. The prediction is near Pi Centauri. 21 55 37 145 8.4 4430 14 19.9 -25.1 5392 22 0 36 138 8.8 5203 14 46.5 -22.2 6257 22 5 35 133 9.2 5954 15 6.7 -19.9 7094 22 10 34 129 9.5 6680 15 23.0 -18.2 7897 22 20 33 124 10.0 8056 15 48.1 -15.6 9397 22 30 32 121 10.4 9336 16 7.2 -13.8 10762 22 45 32 118 10.8 11087 16 29.4 -11.9 12589 I assume that the first "cloud" seen was a short separation burn as the payload was released from the rocket. Another possiblity is that it was the remnants of the actual rocket burn that placed the objects in a transfer orbit. The cloud became visible as it moved from shadow into sunlight. I assume that the second "cloud" was generated when the Ariane 5 released its extra fuel and oxidizer after separation. Mike McCants ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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