The 'OGRE' has been identified!

On the morning of August 6th at 4:05 am EDT Norman W. McLeod III and
Robert Reifer were out observing the Aquarid/Perseid meteor showers when
they noticed a 3rd magnitude flash near RA 22:55, DEC +10. The flash
lasted approximately 5 seconds and showed little motion to the naked eye.
On the morning of the 7th at 4:25 am they again saw the flash in the same
area.

On the morning of the 8th they were prepared with a telescope and at 4:45
am they again saw the flash. Robert proceeded to get the object in the
telescope and watched as the object faded to about 10th magnitude. He
then followed it in a southernly direction. With Robert following it in
the scope Norman saw it brighten again to 3rd magnitude and Robert
verified that it did. The object proceeded to fade again to about 10th
magnitude. This pattern was repeated 4 more times with the object being
lost at about RA 23:10, DEC -8. At this time I do not know how long a
period there was between flashes. The brightest flash was about 2nd
magnitude with the rest of the flashes peaking at about 3rd magnitude and
lasting approximately 5 seconds.

The object producing these flashes appears to be a polar orbit satellite
in a period of 24 hours and 20 minutes. Norman predicts that they will
see the flashes again at 5:05 am EDT on the morning of the 9th and at
5:25 am EDT on the morning of the 10th. If anyone else is able to check
for these flashes from other parts of the country it would be greatly
appreciated. The observing location is located at LAT 26 deg 32 min and
LONG 81 deg 30 min south of Lehigh Acres, Fla.

Please send any reports to:

Norman W. McLeod
4232 Scott Ave.
Ft. Myers, FL 33905

This may finally settle the identity of the "OGRE". We couldn't identify
it as being a satellite because the only previous flashing satellites we
had seen were known to be geo-synchronous satellites. They had followed
the 24 hour 20 minute period however but they varied in intensity with
one bright flash followed by a half dozen or so naked eye flashes with
each one being a magnitude or so fainter. They were then followed in the
scope for another half dozen or so flashes until they leveled off at 9th
or 10th magnitude. They were definitely geo-synchronous because the
scope had to be locked in position with the motors off and they could be
followed for an hour or so.

We are still wondering what is causing the flash on the satellite. I have
been told that lasers are used for position verification but I would like
someone to either support or deny that positively. Sunlight could also be
doing it but why for only a short period?

In response to anyone saying that what they saw had only one flash and as
such couldn't have been a satellite like this take note of the first two
nights of sightings, Norman and Robert only saw it once. On the third
night when they were able to see where it was going did they finally see
it more than once. From personal experience observing many hours with
these two observers for them to have missed the secondary flashes means
that a lot of others could also have missed them. Norman can spot
anything out of the ordinary faster than anyone else I know.

I will update this with Norman's report for the 9th and 10th.

Brian Risley


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