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From: wats@scicom.alphacdc.com (Bruce Watson)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Atlantis observed! preliminary elements.
Summary: a correction to the time of overflight
Keywords: I SAW IT! ...higher orbit than estimated.
Message-ID: <1198@scicom.alphacdc.com>
Date: 9 Dec 88 23:20:15 GMT
References: <1184@scicom.alphacdc.com>
Organization: Alpha Science Computer Networks, Denver, Co.
Lines: 25

In article <1184@scicom.alphacdc.com>, wats@scicom.alphacdc.com (Bruce Watson) writes:
> 
> Atlantis and its payload, separated by about 12 arc-minutes,
> a km or so, passed over Denver at 00:23 hrs UT December 3 Friday evening.
> The two objects were of mag 0 and +2.  They were also observed 
> by Richard Keen and Gary Emerson at Mt. Thoridin, CO a few minutes
> earlier.  Richard said that the two were gold and bluish.  Gary 
> took a photograph of the pair.
> 
After examining the orbit with the Goddard elements (see note 1030), I find
that I first saw Atlantis and payload at about 00:19UT and lost it at
about 00:23UT with the time of max altitude at about 00:20:30UT.  I had
WWV and my tape recorder with me, but forgot to rewind the tape.  The
running comentary with time in the background was lost.  I hope the
erroneous 15.33 (instead of a better 15.39) did not cause anyone to 
miss later observing opportunities.

Gary submitted his photo to the Denver Post but I don't think they
published it.  He told me he sent it to Aviation Week&ST.

We did not see Atlantis or payload again during the mission since
the next days best opportunity occurred with the sun too high and 
later times the passage took place in the low southwest where the
shuttle would be swamped by the light of the twilight arc and 
be backlit by the sun.  But that first time was glorious.