Retrograde objects and UNIDENTIFIEDS

From: j smith (zeus001002@earthlink.net)
Date: Thu Apr 01 2004 - 11:11:14 EST

  • Next message: Leo Barhorst: "Re: Retrograde objects and UNIDENTIFIEDS"

    Hello,
    I am interested in observations of possible natural Earth satellites (other than the Moon of course) and wondered if anyone in this list has made observations or is aware of repositories of observations of these type of objects.
    
    In particular are retrograde objects with inclinations of around 137 degrees and 101 degrees.  A journal article (Bagby J.P., Natural Earth Satellites, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 34, #7,pg 289-293, 1981) suggested that these observed objects were still in orbit in 1981 but I have found no reference to them since that time.  
    
    I do not know the brightness of these objects.
    
    One object observed by Grumman in 1960 as part of Moonwatch.  Its semimajor axis was 2.1 Earth radii, .493 eccentricity, 137.3 inclincation.  The other object was at 2.88 Earth Radii, .63 eccentricity and 101.25 inclination.  The author lists R.A. and longitude of perigee, but I suspect they are not too useful at this date.
    
    The author also describes "natural" posigrade objects:
    1) Semimajor axis= 2.147 Earth radii, .502 eccentricity, 43.45 inclincation. 
    2) Semimajor axis= 2.147 Earth radii, .51 eccentricity, 44.12 inclincation. 
    3) Semimajor axis= 2.126 Earth radii, .516 eccentricity, 44.35 inclincation. 
    4) Semimajor axis= 2.129 Earth radii, .399 eccentricity, 48. inclincation. 
    
    
    Thanks,
    James
    
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