Re: STS-86 - Mir Obs

3432P@VM1.CC.NPS.NAVY.MIL
Fri, 3 Oct 97 18:10:42 PDT

Thanks Steve, for the Mir/Shuttle obs.

>Observed STS-86 and Mir at 23:25 UT on Oct 3.
>Mir leading , mag -1 to -2. Atlantis following, mag 0.
>Steve Bolton

The latest elsets from OIG that I just got show Atlantis leading.
Could they have switched positions, or is it another case of mistaken
identity?  They can be difficult to tell apart sometimes, although
Mir generally has a more yellowish tinge than the pure white
(and black, of course) shuttle.

STS
1 24964U 97055A   97269.72700000  .00010067  43020-9  76431-4 0    55
2 24964  51.6533 295.6641 0038268  47.6558 270.4027 15.70572088   101
MIR
1 16609U 86017A   97276.77374295 -.00015852  00000-0 -18442-3 0  6733
2 16609  51.6542 260.1440 0006408 173.7682 186.3398 15.60244228663979

I have a nice pass coming up in about 70 minutes at 1924 PDT.  They
should be separated by about 50 seconds, and fully illuminated in
bright twilight.

 Craig Cholar    3432P@VM1.CC.NPS.NAVY.MIL
 Marina, California
 36 41 10.3N,  121 48 17.9W    (36.6862, -121.8050)      UTC -7