Two geosats visible without magnification

From: Ed Cannon (ecannon@mail.utexas.edu)
Date: Fri Oct 08 2004 - 05:35:02 EDT

  • Next message: Peter Wakelin: "SATOBS 2004 October 07/08"

    First, to correct an error -- yesterday I wrote:
    
    > One of them seemed to match pretty well with GOES 12 
    
    I used the wrong date on that one (long story).  It was really 
    XM-1 (01-018A, 26761), which I saw again Thursday evening.
    
    The two that were visible without magnification earlier tonight
    were GE 3 (97-050A, 24936) again, in the three hours prior to 
    shadow-entry area, and PAS 1R (00-072A, 26608), fairly low in 
    the east in the shadow-entry area, +3.0 magnitude for several 
    minutes before it rapidly faded from view.  It's pretty neat 
    to see, without magnification, an extra star and then watch it 
    disappear.  PAS 1R was by far the brightest object in its 
    vicinity, about RA 0:40-50, Dec -5, until it faded.
    
    I also saw some that weren't so bright, including this close 
    pair which is a few degrees east of PAS 1R: 
    
    23764 96-002A PAS 3R
    25585 98-075A PAS 6R
    
    Besides GE 3 and XM 1 in the "three hours early" area, with 
    the 8x42 I also saw what seemed to be GE 4 and GE 1, both 
    visible at the same time, in the vicinity of 3 AQR (RA 
    20:47.3, Dec -5.0 [2000]).  Both of them were at least as
    bright as that star, which is +4.4 I believe.
    
    There was a very good pass of Cosmos 2405 (04-020A, 28350).
    Iridium 914 (97-030A, 24836) has flashed nicely both evenings.
    
    Though the conditions were quite a bit better tonight, clouds 
    showed up in force by about 9:35 PM, ending the session.  I 
    was again at the Ney site, 30.307N, 97.727W, 150m.
    
    Ed Cannon - ecannon@mail.utexas.edu - Austin, Texas, USA
    
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