Re: GOCE Flare Model and Observation

From: Gerhard HOLTKAMP (grd.holtkamp@t-online.de)
Date: Wed Jan 13 2010 - 18:16:30 UTC

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    There is a nice GOCE 3D Model available via 
    
    http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?b=b&type=A&subtype=3D%20Model&single=y&start=1
    
    You can turn it around with the mouse. If I turn it by just about 3° (around 
    the vertical) the aft ring of GOCE is more prominent. I guess this is what 
    might cause the flares Marco has been seeing all the time. Flares from this 
    ring would probably be in the mag 2 or 3 range and because it is a ring 
    rather than a flat surface you would see them whenever the angle is 93°. 
    Flares from the solar panels should be in the negative mag range but more 
    focused.
    
    Gerhard HOLTKAMP
    Darmstadt, Germany
    
    
    On Tuesday 12 January 2010 23:03, satrack@libero.it wrote:
    > On the 10th of January I have observed a bright flare from the
    > GOCE (09-013A) satellite.
    >
    > The flare was very short, red like Aldebaran, and at its
    > maximum, I am quite sure, even brighter than the star.
    > I would estimate the magnitude to about 0.5 or even 0.
    >
    > The flare occurred at 16:52:31 ± 0.5 s (UTC) on 10/01/2010.
    >
    > By using a Vertical-Along Track coordinate system, the
    > flaring surface orientation should be defined by:
    >
    > Angle: 93.4° +- 0.3°
    > Tilt: 22.6°
    >
    > These angles are consistent with those already obtained by
    > Marco Langbroek.
    >
    > If these results are correct, they may indicate that the
    > satellite is actually stabilized about 3.5 degrees off the
    > orbit plane and toward the sun direction.
    >
    
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