Re: A celestial tow job?

[Ludwik Kowalski <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

Hi Mary Lou:

First thanks again for inviting us. Second is a message from the
phys-L list; it may provide you with an interesting URL. Unless
you already know it. Regards, Ludwik.

John Mallinckrodt wrote:

> I got an unexpected Christmas present this evening when I went out to
> watch the 6:48 PM passage of the space shuttle over Southern California.
> As it rose from the West, the shuttle appeared to be towing something.  I
> was surprised how long it took me to figure out that it was "merely" the
> Hubble telescope trailing by about half a degree which I figure translates
> to about five or ten miles.  (I say trailing, because the trailing object
> was dimmer and I assume that the dimmer object was the Hubble.)  Both
> objects proceeded to blink out as they entered the Earth's shadow at about
> 6:52.  Very cool.
>
> By the way, if you aren't tuned in yet, you really need to visit
> http://www.heavens-above.com/ which will give detailed information on
> shuttle, International Space Station, and Mir passages, Iridium flares,
> and lots of other info all tuned precisely for *your* viewing location.  I
> caught a really bright Iridium flare tonight.  Told my neighbor I had
> arranged for a simulated "Star of Bethlehem" at precisely 48 seconds past
> 6:13 PM, 52 degrees above the horizon in the northeast.  She *was*
> impressed.