Re: Iridium 52 & unexpected flare

Daniel Deak (dan.deak@sympatico.ca)
Wed, 18 Nov 1998 20:40:52 -0500

On Nov. 15, Igor G. Rozivika wrote:

> Hello all!
> On 15 Nov 1998 I waited the predicted flare of Iridium 52. At 14:56:19 UTC I
> have seen a flare approximately 1 mag (Alt 70 deg, Az 340 deg). The
> satellite passed on a north. Somebody knows what it a flasher?
> The flare of Ir52 was usual (about 1 mag). A place and time agree predicted.
>
> Igor G. Rozivika
> Sosnovy Bor, St. Peterburg, Russia
> Lat. 59.9053N
> Lon. 29.0939E
> Alt. 50 m
> aso@sbor.ru

This seems to be a perfect match with NOAA 12, 91032 A, 21263
which was on a northbound track. I don't know if it is usually a flasher.

  Time      Az.    El.    Range    Right Asc.       Decl     %Illum    Mag.
17:56:00   352,9  82,4    840,5   20h 20m 38s   67,4   59,8    5,5
17:56:15   346,8  75,0    860,0   19h 40m 40s   74,1   59,7    5,6
17:56:30   344,8  68,0    891,7   18h 19m  3s   79,6   59,5    5,7
17:56:45   343,8  61,4    934,4   15h 42m 52s   82,0   59,1    5,8

Regards

Dan Deak
St-Bonaventure, Québec
45.9487°N, 72.6538°W, 58 m., UTC-5:00