Re: Amateurs to provide observations to USAF?

Tony Beresford (starman@camtech.net.au)
Thu, 15 Apr 1999 14:13:43 +0930

At 13:06 15/04/99 , Ron Lee wrote:

>I had a chance to see one of those in operation at Edwards AFB in 1977.
>very impressive system. I would gladly take one or a smaller version
>of the GEODDS optical tracking system.  My current system is too 
>manpower intensive to provide lots of obs.  I would be curious whether
>my observations of high fliers is of sufficient accuracy to be useful.
>
>Can anyone here take an observation and determine residuals if elsets are
>published?
Ron,
As I said in a separate reply, I would be glad to help, just wouldnt
accept interference in current activities. Currently many CCD using amateur
astronomers are doing routine asteroid observations with 25-45cm telescopes
and getting residuals of under 1 arc second. the satellite problem is a timimg
problem. The Baker-Nunn's used for satellite observation by the SAO programme
had a residual error of about 4 arc seconds using film. The converted Baker-Nunn
currently on siding spring mountain,( University of NSW automatic patrol telescope)
 with CCD detector has 9 arc second pixels,
so could probably get 1 arc second accuracy in satellite astrometry if the
timing can be solved. I know USAF hsd Rob McNaught do some tests for them using
that scope. The Catalina Sky survey people at LPL have a CCD converted 18 inch
schimdt which has a 2.9 degree field of view, and a 4000 by 4000 CCD. They
 use it for asteroid work but I guess it illustrates the possibilities.
Since relative motion is about 15 arc seconds/ second, a timing accuracy
of 0.2 seconds would imply corresponding positional errors of 3 arc seconds.
One arc second at 40,000Km corresponds to about 200 meters.

Tony Beresford