[meteorite-list] Fireball or Iridium Flash??

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:04 2004
Message-ID: <20021025173330.44831.qmail_at_web80302.mail.yahoo.com>

---------------- Forward Message -----------------

meteorobs-digest Tuesday, October 22 2002
Volume 04 : Number 1008

Fw: [Greek-Astronomy] -
Re: Fw: (meteorobs) Fireball from Greece, October 8
Fw: [Greek-Astronomy] -
Re: Fw: (meteorobs) Fireball from Greece, October 8
------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 11:55:50 +0300
From: "Grigorios Maravelias" <ge99010_at_mail.ntua.gr>
Subject: Fw: [Greek-Astronomy] -
Re: Fw: (meteorobs) Fireball from Greece, October 8

- ----- Original Message -----
From: <petros1gr_at_netscape.net>
To: <Greek-Astronomy_at_yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 12:33 AM
Subject: RE: [Greek-Astronomy] -
Re: Fw: (meteorobs) Fireball from Greece, October 8


Antoni,

I guess we don't know if she was experienced enough! I
have seen such a very bright iridium flash, and yes
someone could call it as bright as the moon, but I
could never confuse it to a meteor. Though, a couple
of months ago there was a report to BAA of a very
bright star (-4mag) appearing for a few seconds and
then fading, from England. There where speculations of
a very bright gamma-ray burst, but this turned out to
be an iridium flash! I can't understand how the
observer missed to see the satellite motion, but I
guess he wasn't experienced enough...

Petros


"ayiomamitis" <anthony_at_perseus.gr> wrote:

>Grigori,
>
> The time of observation was around sunset. The 2-3
second duration makes me wonder if she perhaps caught
a satellite overhead pass. I doubt if it was the ISS
since its visible passes are much greater than 2-3
seconds (more like 4-5 minutes) but iridium satellites
do flare for a few seconds during early evening. As
for the magnitude she notes (greater than the moon at
-12.6 or thereabouts), it is in the vicinity for an
iridium flare since these have a maximum magnitude of
-8.5 or so and can appear really very bright depending
on sky conditions.
>
>AA.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 11:56:20 +0300
From: "Grigorios Maravelias" <ge99010_at_mail.ntua.gr>
Subject: Fw: [Greek-Astronomy] -
Re: Fw: (meteorobs) Fireball from Greece, October 8

- ----- Original Message -----
From: ayiomamitis <anthony_at_perseus.gr>
To: <Greek-Astronomy_at_yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 20, 2002 3:05 AM
Subject: [Greek-Astronomy] -
Re: Fw: (meteorobs) Fireball from Greece, October 8


Petro,

    The absence of a reference to possible sound,
color and/or trail further suggests that it was not a
meteor and most probably an iridium flare. Around
sunrise and sunset, iridium flares exhibit a very
specific flare pattern and I am almost convinced that
this is what she saw. In fact, if I knew her
coordinates and time of observation, I could get her
the particular iridium satellite that "flashed" her.

AA.

------------------------------

End of meteorobs-digest V4 #1008
********************************


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Received on Fri 25 Oct 2002 01:33:30 PM PDT