ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES

   Artificial Satellites are easy to see with the naked-eye especially after dusk and before dawn. The brighter ones are as bright or even brighter than the brightest stars. Some satellite sightings by members:



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International Space Station

ISS; click image for higher resolution (82K)

Patricia Carroll captured the ISS passing from Bootes to below Corona Borealis.

She used a digital camera. Taken from Glencree, Co Wicklow on 16 May 2004.



A Final sighting of Mir

Mir; click image for higher resolution (64K)

Barry Pickup captured the Russian Space Station Mir in its final days passing Saturn, Jupiter, the Hyades and the Moon.

He used a 25mm focal-length f/4 lens with Kodak Gold 400ASA, ~ 35 - 40 sec exposure. Taken from Dublin on 2001 March 3, 19:41 UT

The Space Station was sucessfully de-orbited on March 23rd 2001.



Iridium Flare

Iridium; click image for higher resolution (28K)

A magnitude -6 flare from the Iridium #47 satellite. Jupiter (magnitude -2.5) is towards the bottom, while the twins Castor and Pollux are just above the flare in cloud. Magnitude -6 is brighter than any of the planets can get. Apart from the flare these satellites are quite faint.

A 50mm focal-length lens was used at f/2. 2003 February 27, 19:49 UT. Photo by John O'Neill.


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