"Craig MacDougal" wrote in message
. ..
"Alan French" wrote in message
news:r3jic.115711
Sue is not one to let a mystery go unsolved, so she spent part of the
next
morning on the phone. We had seen a weather balloon and its demise.
More
recently, we saw another, also very bright. This one was viewed by a
neighbor with an RV-6, and he could see the instrument package below the
balloon. That is certainly a possible explanation for your mysterious
star.

I've seen the same thing. We were looking for Saturn in the twilight years
ago. The same kind of experience, including aiming a scope at it and
seeing
the instrument package.

The balloons are launched 00:00 and 12:00 UT each day (although I don't
think they worry about being a few minutes early or late.) This fits Mr.
Barlow's observed time. In NY balloons are launched from Albany and
Buffalo.

Craig,

Yes, the balloons we see are almost certainly from Albany.

Clear skies, Alan