06/08/18<br />
<br />
Ten-year-old Freya Kirkpatrick sets up a camera to capture an Iridium Flare visible over Derbyshire tonight - an event that may not be possible to see again from this autumn.<br />
<br />
She used an app on her ipad to predict the exact bearing, elevation and time to photograph the heavenly event.<br />
<br />
An Iridium Flare is when light is reflected off an Iridium satellite. All 66 of these old, low-orbit, communications satellites are all currently being de-orbited and tumbling back to earth (many have already done so) and are being replaced with new ones that will not reflect light in the same way. Many of these Iridium satellites will remain in an irregular decreasing orbit for years to come but their 'flares' will become harder to predict.<br />
<br />
Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium Communications said: "By autumn 2018 we will not need any more of the original satellites.<br />
<br />
"So in terms of satellites that are under our control and still predictably flare, the last one will be around the end of 2018."<br />
<br />
Tonight 'Iridium 95' was at 43 degrees in the north eastern sky at an elevation of 36 degrees and passed over Clifton, as predicted at exactly 22:51:20.<br />
<br />
<br />
 <br />
All Rights Reserved: F Stop Press Ltd. +44(0)1335 344240  www.fstoppress.com www.rkpphotography.co.uk