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Re: (meteorobs) Fwd: [Astronomer] Observation -- Possible meteorite?
Given the newness of the Iridium network (two years or so) and the fact that there are only 39
Iridium satellites and 36 of them make up the network (3 spares) I seriously doubt that there
are any tumblers.
-Cary
Wayne T Hally wrote:
> The only problem with the GSOC website is that it does not list the out of
> control tumbling Iridiums. These are the ones most likely to be easily
> confused with a point meteor. I'm sure most of us have seen a normal
> Iridium...lasting 10-20 seconds, depending on how long you follow it after
> the bright flare. They also have a smooth ramp up and down of brightness,
> with a little specularity at the brightest point. Tumblers are another
> matter. They can last just a few 10ths of a second, and also have very
> sharp "on" and "off" edges to the brightness. Very point meteor like. Of
> concern as well are the dozens of other objects (mostly rocket bodies)
> which also flash, and are also not on the GSOC site. While when the object
> first starts spinning it is very rapid, making ID as a man made object
> easy, after a period of time they slow down due to gravitational and
> electromagnetic effects...hence the period can become quite long...the
> longest I've been able to detect is about a minute. These can be very short
> flashes at nearly any brightness.
>
> Wayne
>
> ----------
> From: Dave Hostetter[SMTP:dhostetter@eateldot net]
> Sent: Sunday, October 31, 1999 3:15 PM
> To: meteorobs@jovian.com
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Fwd: [Astronomer] Observation -- Possible
> meteorite?
>
> Hi, list:
>
> Sorry for the delay in responding about Iridium flares. I've been away
> from
> the computer for a couple of days. I agree about being careful to check on
> them for point meteors, particularly bright ones. I have seen a couple of
> flares when I wasn't expecting them, and they really are surprising!
>
> The site I use most often for predictions is from the German Space
> Operations Center at http://www.heavens-above.com/ . Follow the
> directions,
> put in your observing location, then bookmark that -- every time you go
> there, it will remember your location. This site gives satellite and
> Iridium predictions for days in advance, and Iridium flares for the past 48
> hours, too. I find it to be very accurate.
>
> Dave Hostetter
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Wayne T Hally <meteors@eclipsedot net>
> To: <meteorobs@jovian.com>
> Sent: Saturday, October 30, 1999 11:06 AM
> Subject: RE: (meteorobs) Fwd: [Astronomer] Observation -- Possible
> meteorite?
>
> > Thanx Dave, for checking that. I find that almost all poimnt meteors and
> > alleged "gamma ray bursts" are satellites now. Any point meteor report
> > should be checked against the Iridium or other flaring/flashing satellite
> > locations.
> >
> >
>
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