RE: Iridium 21 (97- 34 E)

RJ@RMATSC.RIEM.COM
Fri, 24 Oct 1997 12:07:03 -0700

Leo,
	Your observation of Iridium 21 on Oct 21 was not a predictable
flare from an Iridium panel.  SKYSAT showed a 50 degree mirror angle.
The previous messages had indicated that Iridium 21's MMA's are not
behaving as expected.  Your reported brightening (or whatever) is not an
indication of a flare from an MMA.  Rather it indicates that the MMA's
are not in the expected position or you just observed a flare from some
other part of the spacecraft.
			Randy

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	leobarhorst@pi.net [SMTP:leobarhorst@pi.net]
> Sent:	Friday, October 24, 1997 11:31 AM
> To:	seesat-l%cds.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de@Mail.Riem.Com
> Subject:	Re: Iridium 21 (97- 34 E)
> 
> See my Iridium postings of Oct 18 and 21.
> On the 18th I observed Ir21 steady mag 5; on the 21st it showed a mini
> flare
> to mag 1 for about 3 seconds.
> Both passes were a bit low in the east: 35 degrees elevation
> 
> So Ir21 does flare!
> 
> -- 
> Greetings and clear skies
> Leo Barhorst       Alkmaar    The Netherlands
> 52.65 North        4.47 East  3 m ASL
> Every day I wonder about what I see in the sky