Re: STS-73 'beam' observation
Joel_Runes@email.fpl.com
Thu, 26 Oct 95 13:35:41 EST
A number of us observed this Rev 95 pass from South Florida
and the luminosity in front of Columbia was due to a supply water
dump in progress.
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Subject: STS-73 'beam' observation
Author: seesat-l@iris01.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de at Internet-Mail
Date: 10/26/95 1:29 PM
Hi all,
I got this message from Cal Deal <caldeal@gate.net>. Does anyone have any
ideas? A similar observation was reported on sci.space.shuttle by
gbolt@cyllene.uwa.edu.au (Gregory Bolt).
-- Bart
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Perhaps you can explain something for me: Using the information from the
SatPasses Home Page, I watched the Shuttle fly over Fort Lauderdale this
morning. I noticed what I can only describe as a 'headlight' effect : a
dim, gray glow that extended in front of the shuttle. I would say that
it was not quite as long as the sun is wide, if that helps. It widened
as it got farther away from the shuttle. It had sort of a rounded,
elongated triangular shape that emanated from the shuttle.
I have seen the Shuttle and satellites fly over many times, but have
never seen this before.
A woman who observed the Shuttle from elsewhere in Fort Lauderdale also
saw it. She thought it was from the Shuttle's 'headlights', but since
there is nothing up there to cause any light refraction, I knew that was
impossible.
Could it be exhaust/gasses from a rocket burn? Was a rocket burn in
progress? I really would like to know what caused it.
Any ideas?
Regards,
Cal