(meteorobs) satellites and artificial meteors?

[Bruce McCurdy]

    Mark asked:

> hi- I was wondering whether anyone thought it possible/likely that the 
> destruction of the satellite over the Pacific might lead to some meteors?? 
> Does anyone know if the satellite is moving east to west or ????

    The satellite is moving west-to-east, with a fairly high inclination of 
58 degrees. (Virtually no satellites go east-to-west due to the much greater 
boost that is required to overcome the Earth's rotational velocity, which is 
used to advantage for a conventional west-to-east launch or relatively 
neutral for polar orbiters.)

    If tonight's shoot-down is successful (think: Star Wars, so it's no sure 
bet) or even attempted (choppy seas may preclude the launch), we in Alberta 
may have a front-row seat for any re-entry. I won't have dark skies, but I 
will be observing, hosting a public event for tonight's Total Lunar Eclipse 
at the Observatory of the Telus World of Science - Edmonton. At rather long 
odds the window of opportunity for the missile launch is during totality --  
maybe they want to shoot down their spy-in-the-sky under cover of 
darkness?? -- around 03:30 UT (20:30 MST), and the satellite under normal 
conditions would be passing about 35 degrees above our northern horizon at 
20:41. It's too low to be sunlit, so we'll only see fireworks if there's an 
artificial meteor shower. Wouldn't that be something? But we'll be watching, 
and if anything happens I'll let you know.

    Bruce
    *****