FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Thunderbird Park Star Party

[SaguaroAstro@xxxxxxx]

Ex-Jefe,
 
The flare was -8, the brightest it can be. I thought it was rather short  
lived though, I've seen them last for quite a while (at least the satellite is  
visible for a while, the peak is pretty short lived.) I wonder if the duration  
is function of brightness. I'll have to start keeping track.
 
Anyway, My watch Must've been off a bit because I had announced the  time for 
the flare and it came and went and nothing. Had to listen to  Fredericksen 
make a few wisecracks and then there it was. I heard a collective  "OOOOOOH" 
from the crowd and then some applause. 
 
BTW, ex-Jefe, How did you arrive at the count of attendees? Was it a  guess 
or did the rangers give you a count?
 
 
Telrad  
 
In a message dated 4/18/2005 6:14:39 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
Telescoper@xxxxxxx writes:
I guess  it was so large a group we didn't even meet up with each other at 
all!
We  were also witness to a nice Iridium flare in the darkening twilight sky  
at
7:22:45 that was about mag -5 or -6 at 68 degrees high in the SE. We got  
about
200 people to all look in one direction in the sky for a couple  minutes 
prior.
Once we got some people looking then all the rest started  looking too and
wondering why they were looking. Then when they all saw it  flare up they were
astonished and all saying what was that?! How did you  know that???  It was 
the
largest group I've ever been in to see a  flare.

Jack Jones
Public Events Coordinator
Saguaro Astronomy  Club
Phoenix  AZ
Telescoper@xxxxxxx
www.saguaroastro.org





Rick Tejera

Editor  SACnews
Saguaro Astronomy Club
Phoenix,  AZ
SaguaroAstro@xxxxxxx
www.saguaroastro.org


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