Thanks for looking it up! The trajectory along the sky definately looks like the path I've seen. Is 2002-049A known to be rotating/tumbling? It certainly seems plausible for a six and a half year old Chinese satellite... Ramon 2009/3/31 satrack@libero.it <satrack@libero.it>: > Hi Ramon, > > From a rapid check, I think you saw the JB-3 B (2002-049A) Sat, which passed at about half diameter under the moon at 19.43.52 UTC as you reported. > > Best Regards, > Simone > > ---------- Initial Header ----------- > > From : "Ramon van der Hilst" vanderhilst@gmail.com > To : Seesat-L@satobs.org > Cc : > Date : Tue, 31 Mar 2009 08:05:36 +0200 > Subject : Flashes from Iridium 33 wreckage? NOT the main body > > > > > > > >> Hi all, >> I'm new on the list, but have been following the hypermail archive for >> over a year (and being an amateur astronomer for about 15 years). >> >> Yesterday I wanted to look for Iridium 33 flashes, having detailed >> predictions from private conversation with Simone Corbellini and about >> 10 before the time that the main body passed (which I missed, >> unfortunately) I saw another satellite passing and flashing in a >> slightly different orbit. Below is the description I send to her. >> Unfortunately, I was unprepared as I was making sure that I would be >> able to see the right part of the sky so didn't have my camera ready.. >> >> < >> Hi Simone, >> >> while checking the right spot to stand I observed a series of flashes >> already! The satellite passed from southwest to northwest and flashed >> with an interval of about 5 seconds, counted by hand.. it passed very >> close (less than a Moons diameter, less than half a degree) below the >> Moon at 19:43:50 UTC (-5, +10 seconds), extrapolating its trajectory >> along the line from Bellatrix (upper right in Orion) to Aldebaran, >> with about 3 1/2 flashes in the part from Bellatrix to Aldebaran. The >> flashes had an orange hue and mostly reached +2, maybe +1 for the >> brightest. I first saw a flash near Orion's Nebula, and observed a >> dozen (ten or so) flashes. I was unable to follow it past the Moon due >> to the location of my balcony... >> What could it have been? >> > >> >> Because the flash period was in the 5 second range, I expect it has >> something to do with Iridium 33? >> >> Best regards, >> >> Ramon van der Hilst >> N52.309349 E4.980905 >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: >> http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html >> >> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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