Optical 03 Feb 2012

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Sun Feb 05 2012 - 10:32:11 UTC

  • Next message: Russell Eberst: "2012FEB4.OBS"

    Observations 03 FEB 2012
    ----------------------------
    
    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.
    
    Used with ~145mm focal length f/2.5 lens,integrating for 128 fields
    which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds per image,
    dependent on background slight level.
    
    Field of view 2.51 x 1.86 degrees.
    Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal.
    Shows stars to about mag 12.5 in real time.
    Recorded on DVD and manually reduced the following day.
    
    Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude -33.94058 deg,
    Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa
    
    
    FOR CLASSFD.TLE:
    ----------------------- 
    20692 90 050D   0433 F 20120203190407400 56 15 2028574-705117 39
    20692 90 050D   0433 F 20120203190420000 56 15 2009427-712937 39
    20691 90 050C   0433 F 20120203190453600 56 15 1810149-723202 39
    20691 90 050C   0433 F 20120203190501400 56 15 1758233-721820 39
    20642 90 050E   0433 F 20120203190638400 56 15 1733533-710344 39
    28646 05 016A   0433 F 20120203192834200 56 15 1143235-255755 39  +040 05
    28646 05 016A   0433 F 20120203192842200 56 15 1148067-262646 39  +040 05
    28646 05 016A   0433 F 20120203192850200 56 15 1152439-265257 39  +040 05
    09415 76 091A   0433 F 20120203192850200 56 15 1148517-263627 39  +055 05
    09415 76 091A   0433 F 20120203192913600 56 15 1200020-302505 39  +055 05
    09415 76 091A   0433 F 20120203192933400 56 15 1210244-333305 39  +055 05
    25157 98 007A   0433 F 20120203203702500 56 15 0025269-351921 39  +080 05
    25157 98 007A   0433 F 20120203203713200 56 15 0017239-361543 39
    25157 98 007A   0433 F 20120203203721900 56 15 0011052-365635 39
    14728 84 012C   0433 F 20120203204131200 56 15 0907176-130304 39  +060 05
    14728 84 012C   0433 F 20120203204218300 56 15 0929579-194257 39  +060 05
    14728 84 012C   0433 F 20120203204310000 56 15 0956572-262817 39  +060 05
    34903 09 023A   0433 F 20120203223947700 56 15 1700265-583042 39
    34903 09 023A   0433 F 20120203223957300 56 15 1649170-585255 39
    34903 09 023A   0433 F 20120203224020000 56 15 1627013-591121 39
    34903 09 023A   0433 F 20120203224047900 56 15 1558299-590941 39
    08836 76 038D   0433 F 20120203224900100 56 15 1241549-533910 39
    
    STRAYS SEEN:
    -----------------
    SJ-12
    36596 10 027A   0433 F 20120203190526100 56 15 1812482-722448 39  +065 05
    MONITOR-E 1
    28822 05 032A   0433 F 20120203191005600 56 15 0640192+224045 39  +020 05
    BREEZE M DEB (TANK)  range 15100 kms
    33437 08 057B   0433 F 20120203194001700 56 15 0209359-440742 39  +065 05
    COSMOS 2215
    22186 92 068E   0433 F 20120203200812100 56 15 0726528+040512 39  +075 05
    COSMOS 831     variable to invisible
    08895 76 054G   0433 F 20120203202905900 56 15 1509335-613821 39  +070 05
    BREEZE M R/B   range 12090 kms
    37186 10 053B   0433 F 20120203204033400 56 15 0905167-141619 39  +065 05
    PSLV R/B   range 7760 kms   variable
    37747 11 034B   0433 F 20120203205347200 56 15 0718532+104333 39  +055 05
    SL-8 R/B
    25592 98 076B   0433 F 20120203210801200 56 15 1011597-681019 39  +065 05
    BREEZE M R/B  range 20110 kms
    37934 11 069B   0433 F 20120203215337800 56 15 0623406+102525 39  +065 05
    BREEZE M DEB (tank)  range 4350 kms
    31103 07 009B   0433 F 20120203215740100 56 15 0624161+090926 39  +025 05
    ATLAS 2 A Centaur R/B  range 20460 kms
    25968 99 063B   0433 F 20120203220116000 56 15 0932187-132053 39  +050 05
    
    NOTES:
    ---------
    (1) Balance of observations made 03 Feb 2012.
    
    (2) Have been evaluating several lenses I have to determine which is
        most suitable for LEO satellites using the FLI CCD camera. One lens
        looked promising - a Meyer Optik Telemegor 400mm focal length f/5.5
        lens consisting of 4 elements and in excellant condition. Unfortunately
        the focus turned out to be very "soft" at f/5.5 - improving at f/8 but
        of course loosing aperture/magnitude. Despite being made in 1937 (older
        than me!- and better looking ) they are often found on Ebay etc but are
        totally unsuitable for astro or satellite use. Ive decided to stick
        with the Nikon lens as optical definition is superb, the only drawback
        being very critical focus and internal lens reflections.
    
    (3) The lens used for this sessions video observations is a TAMRON 200mm
        f/3.5 lens into which I fitted an objective lens from 10x50mm binoculars
        to serve as a focal reducer and the result is about 145mm focal length
        at f/2.5. The optical quality is very good and performance wise is
        similar to the FLI CCD camera for short exposures.
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
    _______________________________________________
    Seesat-l mailing list
    http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Feb 05 2012 - 10:33:31 UTC