While going out to observe some satellites, we saw a rapidly moving object pass between Alkaid (eta UMa) and Mizar (zeta UMa), moving horizontally to the right. It was moving very quickly, passing above Alkaid at approximately 19:27.7 EST (2004 March 16/00:27.7 UTC). It had a distinctive gold color and was as bright as Jupiter (mag -2.5). It left a trail and split into two major pieces, the largest one continuing onward into the trees (we didn't have time to move so that the trees wouldn't obscure its path). Did anyone else happen to see [or hear] of this? Was anything scheduled to reenter about that time over the NE USA? We've never seen a reentry, and have seen several meteors and my guess would be a reentering object, but I really don't know. (Alas, we were so surprised by this apparation that I didn't think to time its apparent angular velocity :( ) Clear and dark skies! Ed Light Lakewood, NJ, USA N 40.1075, W 074.2312, +24 m (80 ft) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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