Top-priority flashing satellites (BWGS)

Bart De Pontieu (BDP@MPE.MPE-GARCHING.MPG.DE)
Wed, 31 Jan 1996 08:37:51 +0100 (CET)

High-priority objects of the Belgian Working Group Satellites
-------------------------------------------------------------

The Belgian Working Group Satellites has been active in collecting flash
period measurements since 1987. Our priority list contains over 200
satellites. An overview of our program (including recent observations) can
be obtained by sending a message with Subject: archive get program/program.*
to SeeSat-L-request@iris01.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de

Here is an overview of the objects which are rated 'top-priority'. These 
are objects of which we suspect that the flash period is changing in an 
atypical way. Usually this means the rocket's rotation around its own rotation
axis is accelerating, so that the flash period becomes shorter. This 
behaviour is not fully understood, so detailed observations are very much 
needed. We always welcome new observers. For more details on how to 
report/perform flash period measurements, contact me or Tristan Cools 
(addresses below), or check out our Web-pages at this URL:  
http://users.skynet.be/satimage/bwgs/bwgs.htm

The following format is used :
LINE 1 : COSPAR-ID, priority code, number of observations, NORAD-number, name 
of satellite, remark on reason for top-priority.
LINE 2,3,4 : most recent observations in this format :
Date, Initials of observer, flash period in seconds, remarks about magnitude
and appearance.

65-  8 A !  42     1001/Transtage 3,Titan 3A: no acceleration anymore
95-10-10 MM   5.01  7-9, flash to 5.5 
95-12-24 MM  10.49  6-inv, triple max 
96-01-04 MM  10.49  triple max        

79- 30 B ! 136     11327/C1 Kosmos 1092: be alert !
95-12-27 KJ   8.1   sa at the end     
95-12-27 WV   8.3   mist              
96-01-07 KJ   8.4             

81-116 J ! 541     12983/C1 Kosmos 1320-1327: no acceleration ?
95-11-15 MM  54     sm                
95-11-25 KJ  55     mag +5->inv       
95-12-08 KJ  57                     

84-109 B ! 140x    15360/C1 Kosmos 1605: continues to accelerate !
95-11-08 MM  14.3   7-inv, ssm        
95-11-13 MM  14.0   4-8, ssm          
95-11-15 KJ  13.5            

85- 94 G !  20     16144/F2 Tsyklon K1690-1695: last obs dp ?
95-12-15 MM  33.5   6-8               
95-12-20 MM  33.0   5-inv             
95-12-24 MM  33.3   sm             

85-116 B ! 110     16369/C1 Kosmos 1709: last obs S
95-02-21 LB   7.70  AA, mag 4->5      
95-07-24 JVS        S                 
95-07-24 KD         S              

87- 49 B !  23     18096/C1 Kosmos 1850: acceleration predicted by KJ and confirmed
95-12-24 KJ  30     long max, sa      
95-12-27 KJ  20.0   sa in the beginnin
96-01-09 PM   6       

87- 98 B !  34     18586/C1 Kosmos 1898: still going down ? 
95-09-23 MM  25.5   4-6.5             
95-09-26 MM  26.0   4.5-7.5, ssm      
95-12-05 MM  23     3.5-5        

88- 53 B !  77     19257/C1 Kosmos 1954: new, same remark as 92-36B
95-04-02 RO         one minute ?      
96-01-09 PM   5.70                    
96-01-09 PM   5.7        

90-111 B !  30     21015/C1 Kosmos 2112: period decreasing again ?
95-09-24 MM  11.4   6-8.5             
95-11-14 MM  11.0   4-6.5             
95-11-24 MM   9.44  5-inv   

91- 59 B ! 171     21667/C1 Kosmos 2154: going down ?  to be checked !
95-10-10 WN  26.2   C* 2154 r         
95-10-20 MM  25.5   4.5-7.5           
95-10-21 TC  24.2   FF, mag +3.5   

92-  8 B ! 118x    21876/C1 Kosmos 2180: still going down !
95-12-24 KJ  18.8                     
95-12-27 KJ  18.8                     
95-12-28 WV  19.0        

92- 12 B ! 101     21903/C1 Kosmos 2181: last info: accelerting acc to KJ and LB
96-01-05 MM   4.13  4.5-inv           
96-01-07 KJ   4.10  ssm, sm somet brig
96-01-15 TC   4.04  FF, mag +4        

92- 20 B ! 161     21938/C1 Kosmos 2184: no change
95-10-08 MM  46     5-9               
95-10-28 LB  44.4   AA, mag 5->inv    
95-11-05 LB  40.9   AA, mag 5->inv    

92- 36 B !  85     22007/C1 Kosmos 2195: new, acceleration predicted by KJ !
96-01-09 MM   2.350 4-inv             
96-01-09 PM   2.38                    
96-01-15 TC   2.42  FF, mag +3   

94- 74 B !  52     23343/J1 Zenit Resurs 1-3: first Zenit to have an acceleration !
95-09-26 RE   3                       
95-09-27 RE   2.88                    
95-10-01 RE   2.9         

Cheers,
    Tristan Cools (tcools@nic.INbe.net)
  & Bart De Pontieu (bdp@mpe.mpe-garching.mpg.de)