Daytime Iridium Flare

Eleven denizens of GSFC's Building 2 gathered after work on September 27, 2007, to watch a flare from an Iridium satellite. The flares are caused by reflected sunlight, are predictable (using, for example, the web site Heavens Above), and for a few seconds are the brightest thing in the night sky except the Moon. Conditions were nearly ideal for a daytime flare -- a clear sky, a bright flare (-8 magnitude), and an elevation of 64°. Unfortunately, we discovered the flares are not as nearly impressive in daylight, even when the Sun is only 1° above the horizon. Only about half of the observers saw anything, and it was not very exciting for those of us who did.

Engagement Party

I spent the weekend of September 8th, 2007, in Asheville to meet my brother's fiancee. He popped the question at a delightful dinner party at his home (above photo). Unfortunately his fiancee was not familiar with certain customs involving cakes and weddings, but she should get another chance. It was also an opportunity to look through his collection of family momentos including a black-and-white picture of me from 1954. There was also an extensive Marshall family tree going back to the 1700s that I had never seen. It included an uncle, who is still alive, that neither my brother or I had ever heard of. Ironically, he had been excluded from our part of the family because he married a foreigner.