Monster Iridium Prediction for San Antonio, Texas
Ed Cannon (ecannon@mail.utexas.edu)
Tue, 07 Oct 1997 05:04:15 -0400
Using Randy John's DOS program, version 0.40, for my parents' and sister's
location in San Antonio, Texas (98.6400000W, 29.4000000N, 182m), if I read
the UTC correctly I get what may be a monster or at least whopper Iridium
flare *very* near to Polaris (alpha Ursa Minor)! The UTC time is 11:06:59
Thursday. I believe that a "perfect" mirror angle is zero; this prediction
is for a very small angle. I'm not sure how to interpret the Phase and
Illumination in relation to the very small mirror angle.
Day Date Time CDT AL AZI Angle R.A. Dec. Sun Phase Illum.
Thurs. 10/9 6:06:59 AM 31 360 0.17 05:01 88:29 -21.2 83 56%
Our weather's not very favorable in Central/South Texas this week, but this
one may be a "cloud-lighter".
Ed Cannon
ecannon@mail.utexas.edu
Austin, Texas, USA -- 30.3086N, 97.7279W, 165m