Re: help with a Geo sat????

From: Brent Gordon (seesat@adobe-labs.com)
Date: Sun Jun 26 2011 - 18:34:18 UTC

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    I can't help with identification but I saw a single flash in this region 
    at approximately 2200 MDT while watching Iridium 72 flare.  I'm in NE 
    Albuquerque.
    
    Brent
    Albuquerque, NM
    35:7:32N, 106:31:17W, 1721 meters
    
    
    On 6/26/2011 12:02 PM, Becky Ramotowski wrote:
    > Hi!
    > I have lurked here for years and perhaps only posted two or three times
    > and you all have been very generous with your time and answers.
    >
    > I need help figuring out what I saw last night
    > (June 25, 2011  11:10 - 11:25 PM local Mountain Daylight Time/ UTC-6:00)
    > while out star hopping between globular clusters in Ophiuchus.
    >
    > I live at 7205' elevation and in the Mountains just east of Albuquerque,
    > New Mexico  (Tijeras, NM) so I'm in the Mountain Daylight Time Zone.
    >
    > While looking with the naked eye for some field stars to use as a way to
    > star hop to Messier 12 in Ophiuchus I observed a bright flash, not sure
    > of magnitude but I'd guess somewhere around -2.  About 9 seconds later
    > it flashed again.
    >
    > Since I already had my 6" reflector pointed at that area of the sky I
    > aimed it at the flash and then watched it flash for about 15 minutes.
    >
    > The flash period was roughly 9 seconds as I was counting myself and not
    > using a watch or clock.
    >
    > It seemed the satellite was drifting, but I'm not sure if it was
    > actually moving or it was just the effect of stars moving in the
    > background.  I did not "chase" it with the scope much, just a few
    > adjustments to keep it centered.
    >
    > After about five minutes of watching it faded and I could no longer see
    > it naked eye, but could still catch it blinking in the scope.
    >
    > As an estimate I'd say the flasher was somewhere near
    > RA 17h 20m and +1 degree in Dec.
    >
    > I've stumbled upon Geo sync sats before but none of them ever blinked so
    > this one was quite a treat to watch-- I just don't know who the heck it
    > was!!!
    >
    > Can any one help me identify this mystery flasher?
    >
    > Thanks so much!
    >
    >
    > Becky Ramotowski
    > http://astrobeck.com/
    >
    >
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