[vsnet-obs 20141] Re: (fwd) object identification request

[Taichi Kato <tkato>]

From rwb0006@jove.acs.unt.edu Fri Apr 16 16:19 JST 1999
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 02:19:10 -0500 (CDT)
From: Robert Warren Brown <rwb0006@jove.acs.unt.edu>
To: Taichi Kato <tkato@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp>
Subject: Re: (fwd) object identification request


On Fri, 16 Apr 1999, Taichi Kato wrote:

> 
>    Looks like a flash from a satellite.  Could someone suggest?

Possibly, except that this was close to midnight in this region of the
world.  A satellite would normally require reflected sunlight. Unless it
is a satellite of a high geosyncronous orbit, I do not believe that the
sun could have reached it.  Also the object was stationary and dimmed to a
constant brightness.  I believe it was SAO number 27401.
-Robert Brown

> 
> >From owner-vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp Fri Apr 16 16:02 JST 1999
> Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 02:01:31 -0500 (CDT)
> From: Robert Warren Brown <rwb0006@jove.acs.unt.edu>
> To: vsnet-adm@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp
> cc: skyline@corvus.com, majordomo@latrade.com, astronews@geocities.com,
>         majordomo@mindspring.com, aavso-discussion-request@physics.mcmaster.ca,
>         saul@lbl.gov
> Subject: ****Possible Nova****
> 
> To all interested parties.  I am an amateur astronomer located in Denton
> Texas.  This evening as I was teaching a astronomy class at the University
> of North Texas observatory, I witnessed what may be a nova.  I noticed
> that a real bright star was in a location that I have never noticed.  I
> was looking at it trying to figure out what it was because it was so
> bright. ( greater than -2 mag.) This was in the constellation Ursa Major
> approximate RA was 9hr 50min, dec 59.  I think the star was Upsilon Ursae
> Majoris, SAO # 27401.  In any case, the object was very bright and as I
> came to realize how out of place it was, it began to dim.  When I first
> noticed this object it was far brighter than any of the primary stars in
> the dipper!  As I watched in the span of a few seconds, this object dimmed
> to less than +3 mag by my estimate. 
> 
>  I trained a scope on it and could not add anything except a possible
> fuzzyness that may be due to atmospheric conditions here in the area. 
> This occured at approximately 12:43AM Central.
> Approx.Julian Date: 2451284.73 by my calculations.
> RA 9hr 50 min Dec +59 degrees
> 
> I obviously would like some confirmation on this sighting.
> Sincerly
> Robert W. Brown
> (940)383-5961
> Denton Texas
>

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