FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Flare+HST+SS

[Paul Dickson <dickson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 11 Mar 2002 18:54:32 EST, SaguaroAstro@xxxxxxx wrote:

> Given the orbital path required for a landing at KSC, the shuttle would be 
> about 530 miles SSE of Phoenix at it's closest approach during decent. It's 
> altitude would be about 43.5 miles. Given this, it's elevation as seen from 
> Phoenix would be about 4.5 deg above the horizon. Since it would be near the 
> maximum heating during it's reentry at this point I imagine those folks along 
> a line from Chihuahua, Mexico, corpus Christi to the oil rigs off New Orleans 
> get a pretty good show. The plasma trail would be very evident even in 
> daylight (a cousin of mine was on board the Hornet when Apollo 11 landed. he 
> said the trail was very bright & obvious). Keep in mind they won't land in 
> darkness, and they are about 12 minutes from touchdown when they exit the 
> reentry phase, so probably late twilight would be the best an observer could 
> hope for.

I may have seen it.  Then again I might not have.

When the shuttle got to the west coast of Baja California, I put on some
sandals and went outside.  This was between 2:10 and 2:15.  I was
initially was disappointed as the only thing I saw was an airplane landing
at Sky Harbor airport.  But this plane was memorable because it was
covered with flashing red lights with an apparent yellow interior.  I
caught it in the SW and it disappeared behind trees and a two-story
building just to the south of me. But the more I think about it, the more
I believe it could have been the shuttle.

This was seen near 35th Ave and Northern in NW Phoenix.  The object was so
low I could have confused it with a landing airplane.  I just wish there
weren't so many trees around my southern neighbors' houses.


        -Paul
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