Obs 15 Feb 2005

From: Greg Roberts (grr@iafrica.com)
Date: Wed Feb 16 2005 - 11:04:49 EST

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    Observations 15 Feb 2005
    ---------------------------------
    Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
    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. Due to bright sky it is not worthwhile integrating
    more than 48 frames which is equivalent to an exposure of 0.96 seconds.
    
    Used with 145mm focal length f/2.5 lens giving a field of view of
    about 2.55 x 1.86 degrees and easily showing 12th magnitude stars.
    Not the best lens optically but the most useful in terms of field
    of view and magnitude penetration.
    
    Data recorded on DVD R/W disks - will be kept for 1 month and then
    re-used - just in case any queries as Im always making mistakes!
    
    Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude  33.94058 deg S,
    Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa
    
    
    25744 99 028A   0433 F 20050215181749400 17 15 0344094-742616 39
    25744 99 028A   0433 F 20050215182007000 17 15 0547392-631523 39
    25744 99 028A   0433 F 20050215182150600 17 15 0632342-514318 39
    25744 99 028A   0433 F 20050215182255000 17 15 0651180-435747 39
    90013 03 564A   0433 F 20050215184259800 17 15 0733000+130001 39
    90013 03 564A   0433 F 20050215205433300 17 15 0945334+105409 39 S+070 05
    23533 95 015A   0433 F 20050215190513400 17 15 2346329-323157 39
    17997 87 043A   0433 F 20050215183458400 17 15 0007265-144931 39
    17997 87 043A   0433 F 20050215183618400 17 15 0001358-240636 39
    17997 87 043A   0433 F 20050215184000300 17 15 2306197-535256 39
    90028 04 846A   0433 F 20050215191859200 17 15 0521256+035637 39
    90028 04 846A   0433 F 20050215192102100 17 15 0537021+085339 39
    90028 04 846A   0433 F 20050215192316500 17 15 0550316+131443 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215192954200 17 15 1312450-343300 39
    28537 05 004A   0433 F 20050215201057400 17 15 0003189-661111 39
    28537 05 004A   0433 F 20050215201154000 17 15 0113594-701640 39
    28537 05 004A   0433 F 20050215201354000 17 15 0546029-663251 39
    28537 05 004A   0433 F 20050215201559800 17 15 0811223-341058 39
    28541 05 004C   0433 F 20050215201127100 17 15 2359441-655112 39
    28541 05 004C   0433 F 20050215201229500 17 15 0116440-702302 39
    28541 05 004C   0433 F 20050215201428600 17 15 0548113-662736 39
    28541 05 004C   0433 F 20050215201647800 17 15 0820318-295121 39
    27168 02 001A   0433 F 20050215201819900 17 15 0609514+070821 39  +101 05
    27168 02 001A   0433 F 20050215205647700 17 15 0648214+064900 39  +095 05
    25615 98 055C   0433 F 20050215205056300 17 15 1744550-760550 39
    25615 98 055C   0433 F 20050215205117500 17 15 1809074-733741 39
    25615 98 055C   0433 F 20050215205134800 17 15 1822414-714456 39
    25615 98 055C   0433 F 20050215205152000 17 15 1832389-695823 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210555900 17 15 2001556-724352 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210613200 17 15 2016599-744814 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210628500 17 15 2036156-764157 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210641900 17 15 2059371-782157 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210657400 17 15 2139224-801117 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210712700 17 15 2240342-813954 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210728000 17 15 0007149-822058 39
    24680 96 072A   0433 F 20050215210744000 17 15 0148354-813900 39
    21799 91 076C   0433 F 20050215210936700 17 15 0154301-391745 39
    21799 91 076C   0433 F 20050215211019900 17 15 0225252-364811 39
    21799 91 076C   0433 F 20050215211117500 17 15 0311170-311255 39
    21809 91 076E   0433 F 20050215210936700 17 15 0153489-384144 39
    21809 91 076E   0433 F 20050215211019900 17 15 0224461-360556 39
    21809 91 076E   0433 F 20050215211117500 17 15 0310261-302219 39
    21808 91 076D   0433 F 20050215210946300 17 15 0153424-394538 39
    21808 91 076D   0433 F 20050215211029500 17 15 0225402-371611 39
    21808 91 076D   0433 F 20050215211127100 17 15 0312071-314357 39
    05679 71 110B   0433 F 20050215211454400 17 15 1605205-585952 39
    05679 71 110B   0433 F 20050215211510800 17 15 1548333-571604 39
    05679 71 110B   0433 F 20050215211520400 17 15 1539270-560833 39
    22519 92 086C   0433 F 20050215212825700 17 15 0310254-522702 39
    22519 92 086C   0433 F 20050215213208400 17 15 0350092-514856 39
    22519 92 086C   0433 F 20050215213722500 17 15 0445550-491137 39
    28538 05 004B   0433 F 20050215212218000 17 15 0211058-381111 39
    28538 05 004B   0433 F 20050215212330900 17 15 0256432-335723 39
    28538 05 004B   0433 F 20050215212420900 17 15 0329411-292824 39
    28538 05 004B   0433 F 20050215212550200 17 15 0428430-174850 39
    23851 96 024A   0433 F 20050215214155000 17 15 1901533-695356 39
    23851 96 024A   0433 F 20050215214211300 17 15 1858200-713718 39
    23851 96 024A   0433 F 20050215214254500 17 15 1843074-764807 39
    28096 03 054B   0433 F 20050215214415100 17 15 0315199-301847 39
    28096 03 054B   0433 F 20050215214514600 17 15 0300465-411254 39
    28096 03 054B   0433 F 20050215214627600 17 15 0228110-543143 39
    28537 05 004A   0433 F 20050215220352100 17 15 0345405-120105 39
    28541 05 004C   0433 F 20050215220426700 17 15 0346275-115703 39
    
    Notes:
    ______
    
    (1) Installed infra-red blockout filter in camera. This should improve
        the shape of stars and cut down on red stars being excessively
        bright. First impression is that images are NOT noticeably better
        and more important it looks like some loss in magnitude. I need to
        carry out further tests before I throw out the filter.
    
    (2) My elevation problem still persists with the stepper motor not stepping
        as it should with the elevation loosing position sometimes which means
        the  camera is not pointing where the computer said it is pointing.I
        have now made several different elevation drives with no improvement so
        conclude that the problem is not mechanical but electrical. It appears
        to operate okay in the workshop but slips when out on the mounting some
        60 feet away from the computer - I will now have to troubleshoot
        waveforms using an oscilloscope both in the workshop and out at the
        mount.This only happens to the elevation motor.
    
        As a result of this problem a lot of time was wasted looking at the
        wrong place :-((
    
    (3) NOSS 3-3(a) is about 2-3 magnitudes fainter than NOSS 3-3(c). This was
        very noticeable on both passes observed.
    
    (4) Milstar 5 is variable with a relatively long period - explains why I
        do not see it everytime I look at it. USA 89r is another satellite
        with a long invisibility cycle.
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
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