Re: Unknown in Taurus

Brian Hunter (bkh@chem.QueensU.CA)
Thu, 27 Mar 1997 12:39:22 -0500

A possible candidate for your sighting is 78 42A  DMSP B5D1-3  (Norad
10820).

It is an early Defence Meteorlogical Satellite.  My logs are at home but I
have seen very bright glints off other members of this family of
satellites.  I think I've seen this one brighten but I'm not sure.


Cheers,

Brian

Brian K. Hunter,                              Department of Chemistry
Professor                                        Queen's University
bkh@chem.queensu.ca                   Kingston, Ontario
(613)-545-2620                                Canada   K7L  4R6


Chopped message below:

> Date/time: 3/27/97 at 0053 UTC (3/26/97 at 1953 EST)
> Observer Location: 35 deg 02' 46.3"N/83 deg 56' 28"W at 502 meters alt
> Location: About one degree south of Beta Taurus (El Nath). 
> Apparent Magnitude: 0 or more
> 
> Narrative: I saw this object brighten very suddenly (yellow-gold color)
> about 1 degree south of Beta Taurus. It looked nearly round and was as
> bright or brighter than Venus. 
> It appeared to me to be moving in a southerly direction . I only saw it
for
> about a second or so and it appeared to only move about 1/2 degree across
> the sky, then it was gone.


> Larry Van Horn
> Managing Editor
> Satellite Times magazine
> 
> E-mail address: steditor@grove.net;