Re: UNID Flasher?

From: Bram Dorreman (bram.dorreman@skynet.be)
Date: Sat Aug 18 2001 - 03:35:27 PDT

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    Hello List and Cees Bassa,
    
    The flash observations you report did me think of a tumbling Iridium. I
    probably watched them too. But I have to process my voice-recorded
    observations yet. I saw at least two flashes before that time, even more
    south. I timed two flash periods,
    roughly 23 seconds.
    
    Without processing my voice-recorded observations I predicted afterwards
    around time 20:21 and found Iridium 44, reportedly being a flasher, moved
    across the specified part of the sky at about hat time.
    
    Iridium 44; COSPAR 1997-077 B, USSPACECOM nr. 25078.
    
    I cannot explain the double falshes, which I observed as well. The brightest
    flash I estimated to have magnitude -6.
    
    Bram Dorreman, COSPAR 4160, 51.2808 N, 5.4929 E (WGS 84, according to my GPS
    12)
    Leader BWGS (Working Group Satellites if the VVS, Belgium).
    
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Cees Bassa <c.g.bassa@phys.uu.nl>
    To: SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com <SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com>
    Date: zaterdag 18 augustus 2001 0:01
    Subject: UNID Flasher?
    
    
    >Hello List,
    >
    >This evening I observed three flashes of a satellite I was unable to
    >identify using SatEvo's latest
    >elements.
    >
    >The flashes occured in and near the triangle made of Alpha, Gamma and
    >Epsilon Cygni. The first flash occured roughly at 20:21:09 UT, the second
    >at 20:21:32 and the last at 20:21:51. More flashes were probably visible
    >but I was rushing back in the house to write down these observations
    >because I was bound to forget those numbers.
    >
    >The first flash was right (in azimuth) of Gamma and Epsilon Cygni, the
    >second in the triangle and the last just outside the triangle with the
    >satellite moving roughly parallell along Alpha and Gamma Cygni, heading
    North.
    >
    >The observation site was at 51°51'54" N and 05°10'25" E and -2 meters
    >elevation.
    >
    >The flash pattern was multiple. Per flash there was a bright (-3?) flash
    >followed with a lesser bright (-1?) one with in a second, seen on the last
    >two flashes.
    >
    >I hope someone can ID this sat.
    >
    >Regards and clear skies,
    > Cees Bassa
    >
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