(meteorobs) Fuel dump clouds

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/1/04 4:06:33 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
bmccurdy at telusplanet.net writes:

<< One of our local astronomy buffs interpreted the thing as a tiny
 undiscovered comet which was passing very close to Earth, thus the
 relatively rapid movement of a degree every few minutes. >>

    When I first saw this fuel-dump cloud on Tuesday night with the unaided 
eye, I was immediately struck with how it looked like an oversized version of 
Comet IRAS-Iraki-Alcock, which skimmed within 2.9 million miles of Earth in May 
1983.  That comet looked, to the unaided eye like a circular patch of light 
about 1 or 2 degrees wide with a central condensation.  

    Last night's cloud similarly appeared circular and approximately 3 or 4 
degrees across, and for a few seconds I was reminded of my view of that 
Earth-grazing comet of 21 years ago.  

-- joe rao