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To: ETL

I’ll second the recommendation for Heavens-Above. After entering your coordinates you can bring up a whole range of satellite viewing opportunities. My favorite are the so-called Iridium Flares. If you haven’t seen one, they are really something. Because the “beam” from them is so narrow, a couple of tips are in order if you want to maximize your Iridium Flare viewing success: First, you need to know exactly where you are. One of the best ways to do this is with Google Earth - zoom in on your location and record the coordinates. On Google Earth, move your cursor to the spot you want and the coordinates are displayed at the bottom. If the coordinates are displayed in Degrees/Minutes/Seconds, open the Tools>Options tab and select Degrees, decimal minutes. These are the values you enter into Heavens-Above. Second, you need to know the exact time (flares only last a few seconds). Lastly, you need to be able to estimate azimuth and angle above the horizon. Heavens-Above will estimate magnitude, so bear in mind that the lower the number, the brighter the event; some are very bright; in the -5 or less range they are dazzling. Sorry if I went on and on, but these flares are very cool and the first one you see will shock you.


17 posted on 03/05/2010 10:17:22 AM PST by stormer
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To: stormer
Heavens-Above will estimate magnitude, so bear in mind that the lower the number, the brighter the event; some are very bright; in the -5 or less range they are dazzling.

Yes, good to note for those unfamiliar with the subject: The LOWER the magnitude number, the BRIGHTER the objects. The brighter magnitudes have NEGATIVE signs. i.e., a minus 3 is brighter than a minus 1. A minus 1 is brighter than a 1. A 1 is brighter than a 3. Minus 1 to minus 3.5 ISS passes are very bright and easy to see with the naked eye.

I intentionally stayed away from Iridium Flares. Way too difficult to explain how to see them from so many different locations as we have represented here. They are precise down to the second for a very narrow set of locations. They basically are mirror-like sun reflections beaming off antenna panels of one of the 60 or so Iridium satellites orbiting the Earth. They can get as bright as -8!

22 posted on 03/05/2010 10:52:49 AM PST by ETL (ALL (most?) of the Obama-commie connections at my FR Home page: http://www.freerepublic.com/~etl/)
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To: stormer

Thanks.


28 posted on 03/05/2010 1:25:59 PM PST by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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