Re: light streaks(not sure if on topic) (GLW read)


Message posted by Richard on October 01, 2000 at 05:45:57 EST:

GLW,


what you could of seen was an Iridium Satellite.
They are very low in orbit and make the following:
1. Bright streaks across the sky
2. Bright intermittent flashes like a mirror in the sun.

This is because the Iridiums are extremely low and when flashing is seen, the iridium is tumbling around.

They are all due to come down into the atmosphere in the next 4 years.
There is over 60 of the satellites and they will eventually start burning up due to costs being so great and the owners are going bankrupt. there is no way to control them now, they are tumbling around all over the place and some parts will make it all the way to the ground.
there was a big feature on the news some months ago as the owners were going to bring them all down at once, but they were worried it would cause severe damage if not all of them burnt up. So they are letting them find there own way down in the next 4-5 years or so.

They can look like Meteors, your correct, and like mentioned, may seem to be flashing.

Type Iridium pictures or similar into a search engine you will find some good pictures taken by people who have seen them at night.
SOME Iridiums are so low and so bright people have seen them during Daytime hours, streaking across the BLUE sky!!!

Rich


In Reply to: Re: light streaks(not sure if on topic) posted by Colt 40 Feinburg on October 01, 2000 at 01:50:51 EST:

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