Hey All,
Continuing on Brad and Bram's thread on PPAS
reports and how to deal with flaring geosats:
http://www.satobs.org/seesat/Oct-2007/0224.html
I would like to state that I think it is a great idea
to develop a type of reporting system for flaring
geosats. They are clearly not the same class of object
as those reported in PPAS reports, but are still
spectacular. The reason why I would like see people
record the flaring of these objects is for one simple
reason: If geosats behaved the way I have modeled
them, then we should *never* see them flare! Either
the earth's shadow would block optimum flaring or when
the "purple dot" is exposed, the sun-geosat-observer
angle in non-optimum. However...we all can see these
things perform spectacular flaring for minutes (not
seconds) at a time. Why??? I don't know - it may have
something to do with the geosat solar arrays tracking
the longitudinal centerline (fixed motor speed) of the
sun's analemma vs. the sun's actual RA (variable motor
speed) or something like this. However, if everyone
who took the time to observe these special objects,
recorded the date and time of maximum flaring then I
or someone smarter could determine the normal vector
of the geosat solar arrays at that time and,
therefore, be able to *predict* when the geosat would
flare again and for who. Perhaps this kind of data
could be obtained from the geosat operators. Either
way, I would love to have a type of "Iridium Flare"
calculator for these objects. Remember, if you can
predict them, then you can photograph them.
BTW, I've further enhanced my Geosat Flare
Calculator to now predict the western (eclipsing) and
eastern(uneclipsing) edge of the earth's shadow in RA
for any moment in time, as well as the "purple dot"
location and it's rise and set times. I'll post again
when February 2008 season starts.
Regards,
Jeff Umbarger
Plano, TX, USA
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