Seeing the stars lJelow the glowing layer was
prohably the hi~~l:('st surprise hal! during the
flight. I expect that future flights may hel!, to
clarif~' the Iwtl1re of this hand of light, which
ni}pl~arcd to be thicker than that reported by Scott
Carpenter.
Cooper:
Roach:
All the astronauts of lat~r flights knew of astronaut Schirra's
sighting, but on only one other occasion was an observation made of
rt similar phenomenon. At OSh 11m 34s into the :vlcrcury flight, ast1'o-
nClut Cooper reported illUght now I can make out a lot of luminous activ-
ities ip an easterly direction at 180 0 yaw . I wouldn't say it
was much like a layer. It wasn't distinct and it didn't last long;
but it was l1igher tk:', II,Jas. It wasn't even in the vicinity of the
horizon and was not well defined. A good size." I had occasion to
lluE'ry him a b:i t mort' abotlt his report during d debriefi ng following
the flj~ht:
Roach: ~IOTC li kc a patch '?
Smoother. It was a good sized area,
You didn't feel this had a discrete shape?
Cooper: It was very indistinct in shape. it vias a
faint glow with a reddish brown cast."
TIle phenomenon was estimated to hp at about 50 0
west longitude and
about 0° latitude.
'n,e hypothesis has been advanced that t1H1 thO observations are of
tl~::.' trcph:al ai rglow. We know from ground obscrvatj ons of this phen-
omCllon that it is often oh:-;crved to he patchy. 'Ihe spcctro:'icop::c C,1,-
o 0
position of the phenomenon is about RO~u 6:1ll01\ and 20 g
o 55771\. If a
bright patchy rcgion of WOO krn. cxtcns ion (hoTi zontal) came into the
\'i(~\.; of an astronaut it coul\l appear to be "smog appearin·~" (SchirraJ
or "reddish brOl\'l1" (Cooper). The' tropical ·,jrglow was rclativ...dy
hri!~ht during 1:lb2 and l~)(':" and hecam' quit p Llint during 19(,4 tu 1~)f)6,
the sunspot minimum. During 19b7, as the !lew sunspot maximum '-'PI'l"CJ.lchcd,
thr' tropical airglOlv undC'l'wcnt. H significB'1t l'1I1wl1ccmunt. 'l11is solar
291
Seeing the stars L>l'low the glowing layer was
prohabJy the hi':Kf'st sllrprisf' had during tht:
f.light. I l'xlwct that flltlll'C fI ighto.; may hell' to
dari f>' thl' 1l;ltlll'l' of til is hand of 1 ight, which
3!lp~~ared to be thicker than that reported by Scott
Carpenter.
All the astronauts of later flights knew of astronaut Schirra's
sighting, but on only (lne other occasion was an observation made of
rt similar phenom('non. At OSh 11m 345 into the A(rcury flight, astro-
Dellit Cooper reported "Right now I can make out a lot of luminous activ-
ities 11' an easterly direction at 180 0 yaw . I wouldn't say it
was much like a layer. It wasn't distinct and it didn't last long;
but it "as higher til::', r IVas. It wa~'Il't l!VCn in the vicinity of the
horizon and was not well defined. A good size." I hau occasion to
l(uery him a b j t mOrt' abollt h ls roport duri ng d debrief i ng fall ow Lng
the fliiCht:
Roach:
Cooper:
Roach:
Cooper:
~Iorc lHe rr patch '?
Smootht'r. It was a good si zed area,
You didn't feel this had rr discrete shape?
It was very ind.istinct in shape. it ~JBS a
faint glow with a reddlsh brown cast."
TI\e phellomenon was estimated to h,., ,1t about 50' west longitude Clnd
about 0° latitude.
'nlC hypothesis has been advanced that tlH~ thO observations arc of
tl~,' tr::;pL:al airglow. We know from gl'ound observations of thls phen-
omcnon tl1at it is llftt'J1 ohsl'rved to he patchy, 'Ihe :;pec·troscop;c C,1,-
o 0
position of tIll' phenomenon is about RO°, 6:\1)()i\ ,mcl 2D', SS7~i\. 1f a
bri~ht patchy region of IOOD kill. extension (horizontal) came into the
vlC'\\ of an astronaut it coul,l al'l'c;1r to b" "S1110g a]lJ>earin'~" (Schirra)
or "reddish brOlm" [('nol'er). TIll" tropical "irglow was rciativcdy
hri!~ht during 1~ih2 ,111d 1\)(':), and hecan1' qllit(, r"int during 19(,4 to 1~)f)6,
thc sunspot minimum. \luring H)(>7, a~ the I)('W SUTlSpot maximum «PI'J"CJ.lchcd,
the tropical airglOl' undf'r\~cnt (\ signifi.:a'lt t'nllanct'nwnt. This solar