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Re: (meteorobs) Correction -- Iridium vs. pm

AND I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY, WAYNE!!!!!

J.

==============================
>Date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 16:28:11 -0600
>To: Robert Verish <bolidechaser@yahoo.com>
>From: "j. richard jacobs" <jacobs@infolnkdot net>
>Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Correction -- Iridium vs. pm
>In-Reply-To: <19991028214559.17608.rocketmail@web209.mail.yahoo.com>
>
>At 02:45 PM 10/28/99 -0700, you wrote:
>>"j.",
>>
>>From your description I know I would "have fallen
>>prey" as well.  All the Iridiums I have witnessed were
>>moving quite quickly.  I'm not aware of any
>>circumpolar orbiting Iridiums.  For my future
>>observing benefit, what convinced you that it was an
>>Iridium and that the descending glow was just the
>>spacecraft going away from you and diminishing in
>>intensity of reflection?
>>
>>Bob V.
>
>===========================
>
>Hi, Bob
>
>What had me convinced it wasn't an Iridium was the lack of motion.  I like
to think of myself as a meticulous observer, but this time a lot of
circumstances and stupidity were working against me.
>
>The observation was made at the end of being "awake" just over 48 hours
and having spent all night out with some of my primitives (students) trying
in vain to split Polaris into its constituents with equipment my savages
had built (the optics were not much better in some cases than a concave,
not quite spherical shaving mirror!).
>
>I was unloading the car and just happened to look up at Polaris one last
time when I saw it "light up."  I checked the time and hastily wrote some
notes on the palm of my hand, then went inside and slept a couple of hours.
 The crux of this whole debacle is that I did not do what I would normally
do, and that is check for any other possibilities.
>
>It wasn't until I got the message from Dave Hostetter that I realized what
I had done (or not done).  After checking the data on Iridium 29 and going
back down to check the directions from where I had been standing, it all
fit (to my chagrin).  Iridium 29 let loose at exactly the right time and in
exactly the right location.  Because of its position relative to the Sun
the color reflected from the craft would have to have been "dull orange,"
and the track of its orbit at that time would have the "glowing ember
falling" straight down from the termination of the flare.
>
>So, there you have it.  No joy.
>
>J.


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