April 2002 Sightings 46 on 13 nights
Date Time (UTC) Satellite No Satellite Name Mag Comments
02-Apr-2002 08:40:00 1999-043-E Gbstr 24 Del rocket 3.0 Seen unexpectedly while watching for another satellite. Brighter than the predicted 4.0, suggesting low orbit (about 300 km).
08:40:30 1990-046-B Cosmos 2082 Rocket 3.4
08:52:15 1997-056-B Iridium 35 -1 Long period of flare passing through Hydra. Photographed with a 300 mm lens.
07-Apr-2002 08:31:09 1997-020-A Iridium 8 -3 Photographed. Attempted to get this and Lacrosse 4 in same shot. Neighbour's lights spoilt this shot.
08:33:00 2000-047-A Lacrosse 4 2.7
09:09:00 1987-011-A Cosmos 1818 5.0 Spotted this in a gap in the clouds watching for Cosmos 1154 Rocket. Very faint, just visible with binoculars.
08-Apr-2002 08:25:07 1998-018-B Iridium 61 -4 Had a meeting to attend, but had a chance to view this 5 minutes before the meeting started. Beautifully clear night and a bright flare just east of Canis Minor.
12-Apr-2002 08:19:00 1988-113-H Cosmos 1985 Debris 3.8 Moving through Leo. Looked brighter than 3.8.
09:05:05 1988-050-A Cosmos 1953 3.9
09:05:20 1986-034-A Cosmos 1743 3.7
10:01:45 1987-027-B Cosmos 1833 Rocket 4.4 Very faint. Seen with binoculars passing Betelgeuse in Orion.
13-Apr-2002 08:04:00 1997-020-D Iridium 5 -2 Clear flare in Canis Minor. Photographed.
08:41:00 1995-021-B Ariane Rocket 3.7
08:41:20 1999-072-A Cosmos 2367 2.6
09:21:00 1988-102-B Cosmos 1980 Rocket 3.2
16-Apr-2002 08:22:00 1994-074-B Resurs 01 Rocket 3.2
08:47:00 1995-058-A Cosmos 2322 5.9 Caught a short look at this through binoculars while looking for another satellite.
09:25:00 1992-093-B Cosmos 2227 Rocket 3.9
09:50:30 1990-037-B HST 3.6
09:58:10 1999-023-A Milstar 3 4.3
18-Apr-2002 09:11:20 1995-021-B Ariane Rocket 4.3 Spotted as it reached Sirius and passed in front of it.
09:56:55 1990-037-B HST 3.9 Seen passing through Orion, fading as it passed Betelgeuse.
20-Apr-2002 08:23:00 1990-037-B HST 2.4 Good sighting of HST at 2.4 and 46 deg altitude, as bright and as high as it gets this far south.
08:28:00 1978-045-B Cosmos 1005 Rocket 3.6 Passing through Crux.
08:30:00 1992-093-B Cosmos 2227 Rocket 3.7 Passing through Leo
09:30:50 1991-017-A Lacrosse 2 3.3 Seen passing through Canis Minor.
21-Apr-2002 08:05:50 1986-034-A Cosmos 1743 3.5 Brighter than predicted 4.0
08:11:15 1997-074-B ETS-7 3.0 Seen unexpectedly. At the right time and direction to be ETS-7, but much brighter than predicted 4.0
08:18:00 1992-093-B Cosmos 2227 Rocket 3.7
08:27:00 1990-037-B HST 2.5
09:16:00 1991-017-A Lacrosse 2 3.1
22-Apr-2002 09:04:13 1998-010-D Iridium 50 -2 Very lucky to see this one. raining all day, the evening sky cleared a cloud considerately moved aside 30 seconds before the flare to let me see this. Brighter than predicted -1. It was a little brighter than Sirius (-1.5)
23-Apr-2002 08:13:50 1994-074-B Resurs 01 Rocket 3.2
08:58:12 1998-010-E Iridium 53 -5 Flared spectacularly passing the Moon. Seemed brighter than -5 perhaps picking up some extra light from the Moon.
24-Apr-2002 07:58:00 1991-017-A Lacrosse 2 2.5
09:31:15 1991-063-B UARS 3.6 Entered shadow in Canis Major.
08:35:10 1990-037-B HST 3.6 Passed between Castor and Pollux in Gemini.
08:36:50 1998-045-B Cosmos 2360 Rocket 3.6 Passed very close to Canopus.
08:44:30 1993-011-B Astro D Rocket 3.9 Passed through Canis Minor.
30-Apr-2002 08:06:00 1994-074-B Resurs 01 Rocket 2.8
08:11:00 1993-016-B Cosmos 2237 Rocket 3.6
08:32:45 1994-077-B Cosmos 2297 Rocket 3.7
08:39:50 1989-097-B GPS 2-05 Rocket1 3.6 Passed Sirius in Canis Major and Alphard in Hydra
08:44:45 1983-003-A Cosmos 1497 3.9 Passed Alphard in Hydra
08:46:00 1986-046-A Cosmos 1758 3.9 Passed west of Crux
08:46:45 1998-067-A ISS -0.5 Entered shadow after passing Alphard in Hydra.

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