[amsat-bb] Re: AO 51 dimensions

[Jim Danehy]

Dave

My original comments on this issue were that I am not out to persuade. I 
just thought I would share some information that I have acquired from my 
study of astronomy. I enjoy stargazing a lot. The smallest object the human 
eye can detect (according to the astronomers who have written on the 
subject) is a magnitude of +6. The sun is a -27 ( astronomers use a 
counterintuitive scale). Someone here on the BB stated that AO51 is a +9 
(three levels below naked eye seeing). That would be like being down 3 S 
units. You might be able to see  magnitude +9 from a "dark sky" location 
with a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.

I believe in letting everyone draw their own conclusions. I never told my 
two kids that there was no Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy or Easter Bunny. They 
just came to that on their own.

73  Jim W9VNE


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Guimont" <dguimon1 at san.rr.com>
To: "Jim Danehy" <jdanehy at cinci.rr.com>
Cc: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 11:00 PM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] AO 51 dimensions


>
>>AO 51 is approximately 9 inches wide by 9 inches long and 9 inches deep. 
>>About a half cubic foot in volume. Something like a 12 pack of beer . . . 
>>. The ISS by contrast is 10,000,000 cubic feet or 20 million times bigger 
>>than AO51. . . . ISS is only up 200 miles or 1,000,000 feet. I believe 
>>that AO51 is up 400 miles which would be 2,000,000 + feet. I can stand to 
>>be corrected on the AO51 height. You can see the ISS visually in a clear 
>>and dark sky. It is big enough and I encourage you to look for it. It is 
>>distinguished from other objects by its speed across the sky. Maybe you 
>>have seen it already.
>
> Jim,
>
> No contest on ISS, I started visuals on MIR....I think in 1980...
>
> I was questioning those that saw AO51!!!
>
> I used celestial navigation in WWII to find my way back to the carrier in 
> WWII...  I certainly do not claim to be an astrophysicist or any of the 
> disciplines. but I think a simple question deserves a simple answer...
>
> Maybe I'm on the wrong page??
>
>
>
>
>            73, Dave, WB6LLO
>                dguimon1 at san.rr.com
>
>                    Disagree: I learn....
>
>               Pulling for P3E...
>