Heavens Above

Does anyone know does heavens-above.com list every visible iridium flare from a specified location, or just the more interesting ones? I ask this because the other night I was using Starry Night and I noticed a satellite moving across the screen. Starry Night said it was an iridium, and the magnitude changed from about 3 to 0 as it moved, but there was nothing on Heavens Above. My satellite data on Starry Night was up to date, but how accurate are these updates?

Also, do Heavens Above list every other satellite pass as I was outside on Saturday night and saw something that definitely resembled a satellite but this particular one was not on the website, although I guess it could have been a military one?

Does anyone know does heavens-above.com list every visible iridium flare from a specified location, or just the more interesting ones? I ask this because the other night I was using Starry Night and I noticed a satellite moving across the screen. Starry Night said it was an iridium, and the magnitude changed from about 3 to 0 as it moved, but there was nothing on Heavens Above. My satellite data on Starry Night was up to date, but how accurate are these updates?

It could have been one of the iridium constellation that has failed. I remember reading somewhere (possibly heavens above) that there are some satellites in the contellation that are no longer operational but are still up there. With these satellites its not possible to work out their attitude accurately enough to determine where the arrays are and so when they will flare, so HA doesnt list them. If Starry Night can tell you what satellite it was perhaps you could research if its active.

Also, do Heavens Above list every other satellite pass as I was outside on Saturday night and saw something that definitely resembled a satellite but this particular one was not on the website, although I guess it could have been a military one?

I think there is quite a lot up there that Heavens above does not list.

Cheers,
~Al

On any (clear) night during summer iridium, you will probably see, on average, about 1 satellite every 4 to 6 minutes traverse the sky. I did during the TAS Perseids Meteor Watch last year - we counted 28 in all in a little under 3 hours! That would simply be too many for HA to list.

Some sleuthing on the net will give you a couple of sites depicting overhead passes of many satellites - including the NOAA Triplet!

Seanie.

Ok, cheers guys. It was mostly just out of interest that I asked - not really looking to see anything specific. It's just one of those questions I've been meaning to ask someone for ages!

Dwane.