Re: Other observations
Ron Lee (scubalee@pcisys.net)
Sun, 29 Sep 1996 07:58:22 -0600 (MDT)
JUst ran Skymap trace on Superbird a (#20040) for these coordinates
and time. Jupiter was at RA 18:38, DEC -23:22. Hale-Bopp at
RA 17:30, DEC -05:12. Superbird A at 2030 PDT, 26 Sep 96 at
RA 17:30, DEC -7.35.
Seems Kevin found this object as well. Must have been a
beautiful sight in dark skies.
Ron Lee
>A note posted on the Compuserve Astroforum , noted at about 0800UT SEpt 29
>Subj: SPACE LASERS Section: General
> To: ALL Sunday, September 29, 1996 10:06:04 AM
>From: KEVIN C. MUNLEY, 72572,23 #290635
A FEW MINUTES LATER, THREE OF US SCANNING AGAIN FOR
>HALE-BOPP, SPOTTED A FLASHING LIGHT WITH A REPETITION OF ABOUT
>10-12 SECONDS. IT WAS LOCATED ABOUT ONE FIST LEFT OF HALE-BOPP
>TOWARDS
>JUPITER (BEST SWAG), BUT IN THE SAME PIECE OF SKY AS THE LASER. IT
>WAS NOT AN AIRCRAFT TYPE STROBE; TOO LONG A PERIOD. IT DID SEEM
>TO BE AT A GREAT, BUT UNDETERMINED DISTANCE (NOT ATMOSPHERIC, I
>BELIEVE). I DO RECALL SEEING SOMETHING SIMILAR LAST WINTER FLYING
>THE RED-EYE FROM LAX-JFK AT 39000FT, GIVE OR TAKE A COUPLE OF
>INCHES, SO IT PROBABLY WASN'T AN AIRBREATHER ABOVE US. (I'M AN
>AIRLINE PILOT, BUT I KNOW YOU WON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST ME). WHILE
>DOING SOME STARGAZING, I AND ANOTHER CREWMEMBER SAW THIS SAME
>INTENSITY LIGHT WITH THE NAKED EYE IN THE VICINITY OF ANDROMEDA.
>WHEN I SAW IT (TWICE), I THOUGHT I WAS ABOUT TO BE A WITNESS TO
>SOME RARE COSMIC EVENT LIKE A SUPERNOVA. I HAD THE SAME
>THOUGHT THIS TIME, BUT NO SUCH LUCK ON BOTH.
> SO, GOT ANY IDEAS? WELL, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, SINCE I'M NOT
>QUITE UP ON MY ORBITAL SCIENCES. IS LASER TECHNOLOGY USED IN
>SATELLITE COMMUNICATION? CAN ONE SEE HIGH INTENSITY LASERS IN
>CLEAR AIR (I THOUGHT NOT)? POSSIBLE ASAT (ANTI-SATELLITE) TESTS?
>SURE, I'LL BUY THAT. ALTHOUGH UNCLE SAM DIDN'T SEEM TOO
>CONCERNED THAT ANYONE WAS WATCHING, BUT WHAT ELSE IS NEW? IS
>THERE A SATELLITE THAT WOULD HAVE SOME HIGH INTENSITY STROBE
>VISIBLE FROM EARTH (OR EVEN FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA)? A FLASH
>FROM A SOLAR COLLECTOR MAYBE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER THEORIES
>THAT WOULD EXPLAIN A REPETITIVE FLASHING IN THE VISIBLE LIGHT
>BAND?
>OBSERVER LOCATION: MT. LAGUNA, CALIFORNIA USA
>LAT/LONG: N32 53.0/W116 25.5 ELEVATION: 6000FT
>DATE/TIME: 26SEP96/2030LOCAL (0430GMT)
>SKY: SEVERE CLEAR
>
> THANKS.....KEVIN
>
>
>