[meteorite-list] re: Satellite Reentry Witness 4

From: Kevin Forbes <vk3ukf_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Jun 9 12:59:55 2006
Message-ID: <BAY113-F15807A97F5A73A82A8EC3C99880_at_phx.gbl>

G'day George, I wish I had some documentation to rely upon, but do not. I
have a feeling that it was in the winter period down here, though, I do seem
to remember being cold, and standing on the platform, instead of sitting and
freezing my backside off. The object was already incandescant when it caught
my eye. I think perhaps I caught the last moments of the display, the
breakup etc.
Keeping in mind folks, I often watch satellites in the sky after the Sun has
set, they are travelling at leisurely and recognisable pace or velocity
relative to the star background. Re-stating, I have never seen a meteor
travelling at the same slow pace, they are always much quicker.

In the meteor videos I have watched, the bolide and its children are still
traveling faster than that which I saw that night. But, then again, it was
very low on the horizon, and no doubt much further away, this may have
reduced it's apparent velocity greatly.

Kevin, VK3UKF.
>
>
> >>Kevin wrote:
> > The thing I saw, was comparable to an aircraft at a distance. But did
>not
> > traverse the entire sky, it was perhaps only 10-20 degrees parallel to
>the
> > horizon, it didn't move or cover much more than the general direction
>of
> > looking to the North.<<
>
>Marco>>Now, indeed with a 20 second duration this DOES sound like a
>satellite decay for
>a change. :-)<<
>I personally have never heard of anyone reporting a re entering satellite
>that lasted only 20 seconds. But I have heard of meteors lasting well over
>20
>seconds before extinguishment (such as the 1972 Grand Teton around 101
>seconds
>and the Peekskill Fireball lasting 40 seconds). Low on the horizon, a
>meteor can appear slower than at the zenith due to the further distance
>involved.
>It can also appear even slower if the meteor was traveling in a direction
>that was slightly heading either toward or away from an observer rather
>than
>from a true left to right (or right to left :O)). If this was a satellite
>that
>lasted only 20 seconds before burning up...it will be the first for me to
>hear
>of such a case. Until the short 20 second life span can be explained, my
>money is still on a meteor. I wonder what month this occurred?
>George Zay
>
>
>
>


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Received on Fri 09 Jun 2006 12:39:56 AM PDT