Iridium flares / sunspots
Posted: 24.10.2003, 23:51
Saw my first Iridium flare tonight! 
Only a Mag -2 (as predicted by Heavens-Above, which has to be one of the most useful sites i've ever seen!) I'm getting a Mag -7 predicted for the 27th, which should be pretty cool too... Tonight's was from Iridium 74!
For anyone who doesn't know, an Iridium flare is a reflection from the mirror-like antennae of Iridium communications satellites. They orbit the earth in roughly polar orbits, at an altitude of ~780km.
...
Tomorrow (Hopefully the weather will be nice like today!) i'll try a bit of sunspotting- the groups which produced the large CME that's hitting us at the moment are particularly visible, even with my tiny scope! I can get a pretty good image (~20cm diameter on an A4 page) without it getting too fuzzy!
And the obligitory safety warning: NEVER look directly at the sun through a telescope or binoculars
Only a Mag -2 (as predicted by Heavens-Above, which has to be one of the most useful sites i've ever seen!) I'm getting a Mag -7 predicted for the 27th, which should be pretty cool too... Tonight's was from Iridium 74!
For anyone who doesn't know, an Iridium flare is a reflection from the mirror-like antennae of Iridium communications satellites. They orbit the earth in roughly polar orbits, at an altitude of ~780km.
...
Tomorrow (Hopefully the weather will be nice like today!) i'll try a bit of sunspotting- the groups which produced the large CME that's hitting us at the moment are particularly visible, even with my tiny scope! I can get a pretty good image (~20cm diameter on an A4 page) without it getting too fuzzy!
And the obligitory safety warning: NEVER look directly at the sun through a telescope or binoculars
