Observations 04 Dec 2008 Part 2 --------------------------------------- Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System). Camera mount now carries two systems that can be operated together as two totally different sytems and computers used. Generally the DSI Pro II camera will be used for high altitude slow moving objects. Tests seem to indicate that its sensitivity is comparable to the MINTRON ( possibly better) but as its not possible (?) to time stamp to better than 1 second accuracy the time resolution is not good enough for LEO objects. (1) MINTRON low light level CCD surveillance camera (0.005 lux typical in non integration mode) and 0.00005 lux in STARLIGHT mode with 128 frame integration. Used with 50mm focal length f/1.8 lens,integrating for 128 fields which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum per image. Field of view 6.8 x 5.4 degrees. Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal. (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters. using integration times of 20 sec min to 60 seconds maximum depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image processing done but dark field applied. Used with 200mm focal length f/2.8 Nikkon telephoto lens, field of view 1.88 x 1.40 degrees. Can get to magnitude 13 or so in less than 20 seconds exposure. Exposure time to nearest second inserted into image FITS header from PC clock which is automatically checked every minute against GPS signal. Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude -33.94058 deg, Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa Strays seen: -------------- H-2A R/B range 34832 kms, variable 26899 01 038B 0433 G 20081204200934000 56 15 0155028+071133 39 +095 05 MARECS 2 geostationary , long period variable +12 -> invisible 15386 84 114B 0433 G 20081204211913000 56 15 0255468+091656 39 +120 05 CZ-3 R/B range 7225 kms, variable 23944 96 039B 0433 G 20081204212355000 56 15 0300296+092143 39 +055 05 SL-12 R/B, range 20540 kms, variable 29673 06 062D 0433 G 20081204213319000 56 15 0309464+091821 39 +090 05 IUS R/B , range 15730 kms, variable 23614 95 035C 0433 G 20081204214243000 56 15 0314423+100342 39 +085 05 COSMOS 2436 ( GLONASS) range 20580 kms, steady 32395 07 065C 0433 G 20081204214050000 56 15 0313410+100148 39 +090 05 ATLAS 2AS CENTAUR R, range 11110 kms, variable 26858 01 026B 0433 G 20081204214821000 56 15 0324334+100556 39 +080 05 DELTA 3 R/B, steady - this satellite has perigee of about 100 miles. 26475 00 048B 0433 G 20081204195647300 56 15 0133540+083117 39 +020 05 ARIANE 42P R/B, steady 22079 92 052D 0433 G 20081204200138700 56 15 0149430+075844 39 +035 05 THOR ABLESTAR Rocket, variable 00447 62 060B 0433 G 20081204201703800 56 15 0158330+080254 39 +055 05 SL-8 R/B , variable 13260 82 055B 0433 G 20081204205007200 56 15 2241100-063654 39 +060 05 IRIDIUM 86, steady 25528 98 066B 0433 G 20081204205739100 56 15 2301190-043035 39 +065 05 PSLV-R/B , steady 26960 01 049D 0433 G 20081204185125200 56 15 0035060+023043 39 +035 05 COSMOS 1089, variable 11308 79 026A 0433 G 20081204191900500 56 15 0112090+055533 39 +055 05 SL-8 R/B, variable 27466 02 036C 0433 G 20081204193734100 56 15 0128180+053722 39 +040 05 ATLAS AGENA D rocket, steady 02144 66 031B 0433 G 20081204195427200 56 15 0132340+054439 39 +035 05 ARIANE 44 P R/B, range 18290 kms, variable 25461 98 049B 0433 G 20081204204035000 56 15 0219564+073928 39 +085 05 JB-3B, steady 27550 02 049A 0433 G 20081204182922800 56 15 0444580+135711 39 +040 05 METEOR 1-14, variable 06392 73 015A 0433 G 20081204183931900 56 15 0020510+025614 39 +040 05 Notes: -------- (1) This concludes observations made 04 December 2008 so now up to date. Cheers Greg ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Dec 07 2008 - 11:42:06 UTC