Iridium 17 Flare in Daylight

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My observation Nov. 21, 1997 PST (Nov. 22 @ 00:40:19 UTC):
Friday at 16:40-41 PM PST I watched Iridium 17 flare -4.1 just 8
degrees west and two degrees above Venus.  I watched it with
binoculars since Venus, similar magnitude, was just a little beyond
the point of easy naked eye visibility and I thought I might miss it
looking at one power.  It seemed to flare right on time at 16:40:19 PST
but I didn't look at the time until about 10 sec. after the flare.  The
program indicates the sun was  0.7 degrees above the horizon so
I can count this as my second daylight Iridium flare albeit with binoculars
this time.  Five min. later Venus was easy to see with the unaided
eye so I assume if the flare had happened 5 min. later, it hardly could 
have been missed with the unaided eye.  It seems that the duration of 
the flare was about 2 sec. 

There is a thread in Usenet sci.astro.amateur entitled "Iridium Flares".
Seems the starter of the thread is amazed how accurate IRIDLAR is.
Well, I feel the same way, but can't help but begin to take it for granted.
We get so jaded with all the miracles of technology.  I try to retain that
sense of amazement though, as that makes life more fun and interesting.  

Jake Rees
Burbank, California

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