NEAR sunglint(s) 1/23/98 (UT)
Ralph McConahy (Ralph.Mcconahy@jpl.nasa.gov)
23 Jan 1998 08:04:53 -0800
NEAR Sunglint(s) Observation Report
Location: 117.0064W 34.8829N 670m
Sky condition: Good, small amount of light pollution from city lights.
Used 10 x 50 binoculars, resting in a recliner.
Field of view was such that the distance between Per-delta and Per-nu took
up about 75% of my field. From my vantage point, a line drawn between these
two would be almost parallel with the horizon at about 50 deg elevation.
NEAR's observed path was midway between these two stars, somewhat closer to
Per-delta. It began about 3 degrees above the line, moving perpendicular to
it, to about 7 degrees below the line trailing off toward the right (north).
UT times below from WWV. Unless the word "about" is used, accuracy of times
below is -0 to +2 seconds. UT date: 1/23/98.
06:39:18 First picked up NEAR. It was already beginning to flare.
About mag 7 or 6 and rapidly decreasing.
Mag peaked out between 1.5 and 1.8 and lasted for about
25 seconds centered about 06:40:00.
06:40:58 All evidence of flare gone but I continued to follow NEAR at
about mag 8 or 9.
I decided to try to see how long I could follow it at this
magnitude, when, much to my delight, at . . .
06:43:48 NEAR began to flare a second time!
This flare had a peak mag of 2.8 to 3, max about 06:44:10.
06:44:33 Second flare complete, continued to follow NEAR at mag 9.
06:45:50 NEAR became too dim to see.
--Ralph McConahy