Aeromoe's Version of Joe Orman's Naked-Eye 100 List


Number 96: Page 3 - Photos of Iridium Satellites



"Iridium Flares" are highly-predictable glints of sunlight produced when the geometry between an Iridium communications satellite, the sun, and the earth-bound observer is just right. The predicted magnitude of the "flare" is dependent upon the observers location relative to the path of reflected sunlight reaching the surface of the earth.

I only discovered the "Iridium Flare" phenomenon in July 2010, and I was able to observe my first flare the very morning I first discovered their existence. Since then, I have been actively observing them as well as photographing them when the conditions are right. Indeed, many astrophotographers probably research these predictions and others to avoid having astrophotographs "spoiled" by their potential presence. Modern "stacking" software minimizes the additional workload required to remove a satellite trail or flare from a deep-sky astrophoto, but still...

During my research I have found that much has been written about the Iridium satellites and Iridium Flares since the satellites were first launched in 1997. There are a LOT of photographs of Iridium Flares on the internet. Just do a Google search on Iridium flares and you'll see what I mean.

My favorite tools for predicting flares are the Heavens Above and Cal Sky websites. I also like to track the satellites using the Real Time Satellite Tracking website.
All are invaluable tools for the satellite observer and I thank the authors of those websites for maintaining them.



In the table below, I'm trying to photo document as many of the Iridium satellites as I can.
As a relative late-comer (2010) to the Iridium satellites, there are obviously a number of them I'll never see or photograph.
The in-service and serviceable spare satellites are relatively easy to photograph and are usually right on schedule based on the on-line prediction websites.

Trying to photograph the out-of-service and tumbling satellites (I call them rogues) require more preparation and often times a bit of luck. Cal Sky and Heavens Above both provide excellent and useful star charts you can use to plot the expected course of all the satellites and they are especially useful for the rogues. Many times I can pick up the rogues "naked-eye" as they are cruising by. While these satellites are usually beyond the accepted naked-eye limit of magnitude 6, they must be reflecting more sunlight than the prediction softward accounts for and are therefore visible at certain times. I find it very rewarding when I spot any of the Iridium satellites, whether flaring or not.

Notes:

- Iridium 87 doesn't exist; numbers 1, 2, and 3 were not originally assigned to any satellites placed into orbit. Numbers 2 and 3 were assigned to satellites launched during the replenishment phase which placed additional spares in orbit and for replacement of original satellites that had failed for one reason or another.
- The following Iridiums are no longer in orbit: 9, 27, 48, 79, 85.
- In the table below, Iridiums 11, 14, 20, and 21 are the second satellites with that number. The originals were replaced and renumbered 911, 914, 920, and 921.
- The 5-digit SpaceCom IDs with an asterisk "*" are changed from the original ID. Please refer to Rod Sladen's Iridium Pages for complete details and further explanation about the Iridium satellites and their rather complicated yet fascinating history.



-Below I have photos of flares from the Main Mission Antennas (MMA) and the Solar Panels. I also have photos of the tumbling satellites as well as "trail" photos of the Iridium satellites just cruising by.
Iridium Number Flare Photo Trail Photo Photo Photo Photo Iridium Number Flare Photo Trail Photo Photo Photo Photo
Iridium 2 / 25527
Tumbling
Plane 5		 .
MMA Flare
No Predictions
Tumbling
19 Jun 11		 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 3 / 25431
Plane 2
MMA Flare
01 Jul 11
Trail
28 Jun 11		 .

 .

 .
Iridium 4 / 24796
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 5 / 25795
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 6 / 24794
Plane 4
MMA Flare
03 Jul 11		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 7 / 24793
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 8 / 24792
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 9 / 24838
Decayed
11 Mar 2003
Iridium 10 / 24839
Plane 5
MMA Flare
27 Jul 11
Trail
23 Jul 11
Solar Panel Flare
23 Jul 11		 .

 .

 Iridium 11(2) / 25578*
Plane 2		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 12 / 24837
Plane 5		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 13 / 24840
Plane 5
MMA Flare
28 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 14(2) / 25777*
Plane 1
*Spare*		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 15 / 24869
Plane 6
MMA Flare
23 Jun 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 16 / 24841
Plane 5
Tumbling		 .
MMA Flare
No Predictions
Trail
27 Jul 11		 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 17 / 24870
Plane 6
Tumbling		 .
MMA Flare
No Predictions
Tumbling
16 Jun 11		 .

 .

 .
Iridium 18 / 24872
Plane 6		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 19 / 24965
Plane 4
MMA Flare
21 Jun 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 20(2) / 25577*
Plane 2
Replaced failed #20		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 21(2) / 25778*
Plane 1
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 22 / 24907
Plane 2
MMA Flare
28 Jun 11		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 23 / 24906
Plane 2
Rogue		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 24 / 25105*
Plane 2
Tumbling		 .
MMA Flare
No Predictions
Tumbling
16 Jul 11		 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 25 / 24904
Plane 2
MMA Flare
01 Dec 10		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 26 / 24903
Plane 2		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 27 / 24947
Decayed
01 Feb 2002
Iridium 28 / 24948
Plane 3
Rogue		 .

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 29 / 24944
Plane 3		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 30 / 24949
Plane 3		 .
MMA Flare
Trail
30 Aug 11		 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 31 / 24950
Plane 3
MMA Flare
12 Sep 10
My 1st flare photo
Trail
30 Aug 11
MMA Flare
20 Jul 11		 .

 .
Iridium 32 / 24945
Plane 3		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 33 / 24946
Plane 3
Fragmented 10 Feb 09		 .
MMA Flare
No Predictions		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 34 / 24969
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 35 / 24966
Plane 4
MMA Flare
09 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 36 / 24967
Plane 4
Tumbling		 .

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 37 / 24968
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 38 / 25043
Plane 6
Tumbling		 .

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 39 / 25042
Plane 6		 .
MMA Flare
Trail
23 Jun 11		 .

 .

 .
Iridium 40 / 25041
Plane 6		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 41 / 25040
Plane 6		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 42 / 25077
Plane 6		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail
MMA Flare
27 Jun 11
Almost got away!
MMA Flare
28 Jun 11
Very low!		 .

 Iridium 43 / 25039
Plane 6		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 44 / 25078
Plane 6
Tumbling		 .

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 45 / 25104
Plane 2		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 46 / 24905*
Plane 2
MMA Flare
13 Jul 11		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 47 / 25106
Plane 2		 .
MMA Flare
Trail
13 Jul 11		 .

 .

 .
Iridium 48 / 25107
Decayed
05 May 2001
 Iridium 49 / 25108
Plane 2
MMA Flare
14 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 50 / 25172
Plane 5
MMA Flare
6 Mar 13
 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 51 / 25262
Plane 4
*Spare*
Partial Failure?		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 52 / 25169
Plane 5
MMA Flare
30 Oct 11
 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 53 / 25173
Plane 5
MMA Flare
21 Feb 11
Double flare with 90		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 54 / 25171
Plane 5
MMA Flare
02 Feb 11
Trail
23 Jul 11
Solar Panel Flare
23 Jul 11		 .

 .

 Iridium 55 / 25272
Plane 3
MMA Flare
18 Sep 10		 .
Trail
MMA Flare
19 Jul 11		 .

 .
Iridium 56 / 25170
Plane 5		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 57 / 25273
Plane 3
MMA Flare
09 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 58 / 25274
Plane 3
MMA Flare
17 Sep 10		 .
Trail
Dim Flare
09 Jul 11		 .

 .

 Iridium 59 / 25275
Plane 3		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 60 / 25276
Plane 3		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 61 / 25263
Plane 4		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 62 / 25285
Plane 1		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 63 / 25286
Plane 1
MMA Flare
04 Mar 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 64 / 25287
Plane 1		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 65 / 25288
Plane 1		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 66 / 25289
Plane 1
MMA Flare
23 Jun 11		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 67 / 25290
Plane 1		 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 68 / 25291
Plane 1
MMA Flare
04 Jul 11
 .
Trail
MMA Flare
27 Jun 11
Solar Panel Flare
Pt. 1
24 Aug 11
Solar Panel Flare
Pt. 2
24 Aug 11		 Iridium 69 / 25319
Plane 2
Tumbling
Tumbling
16 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 70 / 25342
Plane 1
MMA Flare
08 Jun 11
Trail
28 Jun 11		 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 71 / 25320
Plane 2
Tumbling
Tumbling
16 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 72 / 25343
Plane 1
MMA Flare
14 Jun 11
 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 73 / 25344
Plane 1
Tumbling		 .
MMA Flare
23 Jun 11
Tumbling		 .

 .

 .
Iridium 74 / 25345
Plane 1
Partial Failure?		 .

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 75 / 25346
Plane 1
MMA Flare
28 Jun 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .
Iridium 76 / 25432
Plane 2		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 77 / 25471
Plane 6
MMA Flare
23 Jun 11		 .
Trail
MMA Flare
26 Jun 11
Top flare is unknown		 .

 .
Iridium 78 / 25431
Re#'d 03		 Iridium 79 / 25470
Decayed
29 Nov 2000
Iridium 80 / 25469
Plane 6
MMA Flare
23 Jun 11		 .
Trail
MMA Flare
28 Jun 11		 .

 .

 Iridium 81 / 25468
Plane 6
MMA Flare
14 Jun 11		 .
Trail
MMA Flare
27 Jun 11		 .

 .
Iridium 82 / 25467
Plane 6
MMA Flare
14 Jun 11		 .
Trail
MMA Flare
27 Jun 11
MMA Flare
04 Aug 11		 .

 Iridium 83 / 25531
Plane 5
 .
MMA Flare
Trail
28 Jul 11		 .

 .

 .
Iridium 84 / 25530
Plane 5		 .
MMA Flare

 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 85 / 25529
Decayed
30 Dec 2000
Iridium 86 / 25528
Plane 5
MMA Flare
13 Oct 11
Trail
28 Jul 11		 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 88 / 25578*
Re#'d 20(2)
Iridium 89 / 25577*
Re#'d 11(2)
 Iridium 90 / 27372*
Plane 5
*Spare*
MMA Flare
21 Feb 11
Double flare with 53		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .
Iridium 91 / 27373*
Plane 3
MMA Flare
09 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 92 / 25777*
Re#'d 14(2)
Iridium 93 / 25778*
Re#'d 21(2)
 Iridium 94 / 27374
Plane 3
*Spare*
MMA Flare
30 Aug 11		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .
Iridium 95 / 27375
Plane 3
MMA Flare
16 Jul 11		 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 96 / 27376
Plane 3
*Spare*
MMA Flare

20 Sep 12		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .
Iridium 97 / 27450
Plane 4
 .
MMA Flare
 .
Trail
 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 98 / 27451
Plane 6
*Spare*
MMA Flare
14 Jun 11		 .
Trail
Dual MMA Flare w/15
27 Jun 11		 .

 .
Iridium 911 / 24842
Plane 5
Tumbling
Original #11		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 914 / 24836
Plane 5
Tumbling
Original #14		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 .
Iridium 920 / 24871
Plane 6
Tumbling
Original #20		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 .

 Iridium 921 / 24873
Plane 6
Tumbling
Original #21		 .
Trail

 .

 .

 .

 .



The Iridium Satellite Constellation



Six distinct (count them) orbital "Planes" make up the active Iridium constellation. Each plane has 11 operational satellites and the entire constellation provides coverage to virtually the entire surface of the globe.



Another Table of All My Iridium Flare Sightings


Note: This website is maintained solely for entertainment purposes.