From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Thu May 15 2003 - 10:04:20 PDT
----- Original Message -----
From: SpaceWeather.com
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2003 12:49 PM
To: SpaceWeather.com
Subject: Lunar eclipse extras: Iridium flares and the ISS
Space Weather News for May 15, 2003
http://spaceweather.com
Sky watchers in the Americas, Europe, Africa and parts of Asia can see a
sunset-red lunar eclipse tonight, May 15th and 16th. Today's edition of
spaceweather.com describes a few more things that will appear in the sky
around the time of the eclipse: Iridium flares and a transit of the Moon
by the International Space Station.
IRIDIUM FLARES: Sky watchers in the western and central United States are
favored to see some pleasing Iridium flares during tonight's lunar
eclipse. "Some cities that will have decent flares are Phoenix, Salt Lake
City, El Paso, Minneapolis, Omaha and Missoula," says space scientist Rob
Matson of SAIC, who also forecasts Iridium flares for the International
Space Station. Most of tonight's flares will appear higher in the sky than
the moon. "With a wide field of view camera, however, it may be possible
to capture a flare and the moon in the same field of view," notes Matson.
SPACE STATION TRANSIT: This is for advanced observers. Along a narrow path
stretching from Dallas through St. Louis to Chicago, sky watchers can see
the International Space Station pass in front of the eclipsed moon
tonight. Like the moon itself, the ISS will be inside Earth's shadow, so
it will be dark--a ghostly silhouette racing across the dimly-lit lunar
terrain in less than a second. You have to be at the right place at the
right time to see it. Forecaster Thomas Fly has prepared maps and
timetables for the central United States and other places where these
transits may be visible.
Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information.
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