Optical 23 Jan 2009-final

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Sun Jan 25 2009 - 08:40:50 UTC

  • Next message: Russell Eberst: "2009JAN24.OBS"

    Observations 23 Jan 2009 final
    ------------------------------------
    
    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) 145mm focal length f/2.5 lens fitted to 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.
    Image integrated for 2.56 seconds but exposure depends on sky background
    brightness. Field of view 2.5 x 1.9 degrees and showing about mag +12
    stars in "real time". Used as a finder for the 6 inch reflector.
    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.
    Used with 6 inch f/5 CELESTRON reflector modified to f/2.7 with home
    made corrector lens.Field of view 55 by 40 arc minutes and showing
    15th magnitude stars in real time.
    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
    
    For CLASSFD.TLE:
    ------------------------------
    05204 71 039A   0433 E 20090123221805000 56 15 1114331+011833 39  +105 05
    05204 71 039A   0433 E 20090123221947000 56 15 1116136+011347 39  +105 05
    05851 72 010A   0433 E 20090123222251000 56 15 1154525+004913 39  +110 05
    05851 72 010A   0433 E 20090123222518000 56 15 1157182+004134 39  +110 05
    14930 84 037A   0433 E 20090123222916000 56 15 1152079+112655 39  +120 05
    14930 84 037A   0433 E 20090123223143000 56 15 1154294+111753 39  +120 05
    20929 90 095A   0433 E 20090123185651000 56 15 0222132+041733 39  +090 05
    20929 90 095A   0433 E 20090123220454000 56 15 0523304+134308 39  +105 05
    32287 07 054A   0433 E 20090123220714000 56 15 0739142+035944 39  +100 05
    32287 07 054A   0433 E 20090123221120000 56 15 0743208+035638 39  +100 05
    
    Strays seen:
    -------------
    GSAT 1  geostationary variable
    26745 01 015A   0433 E 20090123222916000 56 15 1150276+113633 39  +110 05
    ASTRA 5A (SIRIUS 2) variable, geostationary drifting
    25049 97 071A   0433 E 20090123211009000 56 15 0738374+053011 39  +090 05
    H-2A R/B steady
    28938 06 004B   0433 E 20090123192226100 56 15 0249444+310845 39  +040 05
    ATLAS 5A Centaur, perigee height about 97 kms !
    32764 08 016B   0433 E 20090123183916400 56 15 0358273+090702 39  +030 05
    32764 08 016B   0433 E 20090123183927200 56 15 0403246+090842 39  +030 05
    COSMOS 1650 (GLONASS)
    15697 85 037A   0433 E 20090123195423000 56 15 0805255+051203 39  +125 05
    INTELSAT 702 geostationary
    23124 94 034A   0433 E 20090123195423000 56 15 0805212+052159 39  +095 05
    INSAT 3E geostationary - unknown #91141 was right next to it
    27951 03 043E   0433 E 20090123195423000 56 15 0806057+051956 39  +095 05
    SESAT geostationary
    26243 00 019A   0433 E 20090123194218000 56 15 0628293+053235 39  +110 05
    EUTELSAT W4
    26369 00 028A   0433 E 20090123194218000 56 15 0629136+053236 39  +110 05
    BREEZE M R/B range 36460 kms
    33455 08 063C   0433 E 20090123204731000 56 15 0736191+041946 39  +110 05
    DELTA 2 R/B steady
    21393 91 037B   0433 E 20090123193224000 56 15 0257340+064900 39  +030 05
    METEOR PRIRODA - fast - steady
    12585 81 065A   0433 E 20090123194047800 56 15 0627101+055310 39  +050 05
    NADEZHDA 5 steady
    25567 98 072A   0433 E 20090123194427800 56 15 0634292+042534 39  +045 05
    SL-8 R/B steady
    16682 86 030B   0433 E 20090123195215900 56 15 0636350+050846 39  +030 05
    
    
    Notes:
    -------
    (1) This concludes observations made 23 Jan 2009.
    
    (2) Next tracking session - as soon as possible. On 24th Jan 2009 had
        too much cirrus so no tracking done.
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
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