Huge Tumbling Satellite Could Fall to Earth Over US Tonight or Saturday, NASA Says (UPDATED)

Space.com ^ | 9/23/11 | Tariq Malik

[Raycpa]

and unless the republicans raise taxes on the rich, there are another 153 satellites that are going to fall on us.

[WSGilcrest]

If it was lit up over Minnesota, I don’t imagine it would last too much longer after that.

[eyedigress]

I understand, I just get wild about this. My name is on one of those Iridiums.

[Jack Hydrazine]

That was on the previous pass.

[Straight Vermonter]

Where are you seeing that? The two sites I am watching have it past South Africa headed toward Antarctica.

[WSGilcrest]

Looks like an Iridium flare picture. I’ve taken a few.

[xjcsa]

It’s still overhead or at least a large portion of it is now flying over the Southwest Indian Ocean, according to the News.

News, as in something written by a journalist? Good luck with that, haha.

[21twelve]

May the Schwartz be with you.

[Straight Vermonter]

Oops, just realized that was an old comment.

[xjcsa]

Where are you seeing that? The two sites I am watching have it past South Africa headed toward Antarctica.

Dude, you're replying to a message from two hours ago. This thing orbits the entire planet every 90 minutes. Plus it sounds like it's actually already down in northern Canada.

[Inyo-Mono]

I agree. I saw a Russian satelite fall back in August of 1969 and a meteor the size of a basketball over head a few years ago and both were spectacular, not like fireworks.

[Tellurian]

You’re probably seeing an animation of the predicted track as if it wasn’t hitting atmosphere.

[xjcsa]

Oops, just realized that was an old comment.

And you beat me to pointing it out :)

[Raycpa]

The sites are merely a graph telling us where the satellite should be if its in orbit based on periodically updated coordinates. They are models.

[3D-JOY]

NASA site shows it still moving but the remarks say it will be moving until confirmed down by SAC...wonder why the delay? parts falling off ?

[WSGilcrest]

You up near Mono Lake?

[xjcsa]

Looks like an Iridium flare picture. I’ve taken a few.

Could be that, or it could be UARS still lit by sunlight, if it was taken shortly after sunset.

[bd476]

Ha ha. ;)

What are you talking about now?

[jpsb]

I think it is still up three

[xjcsa]

What are you talking about now?

Just saying this, like most of life, is a bit too complex to be understood by your typical journalist. Bu that's only because journalists are stupid and lazy.