NOSS 2-3 leader and trailer OBS

Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Sat, 1 Jun 1996 09:18:42 -0400

The leader and the trailer objects of NOSS 2-3 
96-29A                          6.0 
1 23862U 96029  A 96148.07100000  .00000020  00000-0  35983-4 0    00 
2 23862  63.4200 232.6585 0068787 187.2591  50.3842 13.40340049    08 
were observed, with the trailer about 1 second late wrt this elset.  The 
lead object appulsed Albireo at 960601 041836.09, the trailer at 
041842.02.  Conditions in cirrus/haze were difficult for such faint 
objects.  No sidecar was observed, though strongly and persistently 
sought.  Appulses of a star which calculation suggests must be SAO 69188 = 
GC 27677 were timed, possibly more accurately, at 041906.30 and 041912.10. 
My positional determination does not come close to improving the path 
predicted from this elset, which seems to represent ideally what was seen. 
The objects went 2 or more times as far South of Albireo as they did North 
of SAO 69188. 
 
If I had to report an astrometric position, I'd use what I plotted from 
the elset above to give: 
NOSS 2-3 leader 
96  6  1  4 18 36.09  19 30.4  +27.42   1950       - or - 
96  6  1  4 18 36.09  19 32.4  +27.52   2000 
object was about 5s EARLY wrt above elset 
The trailer would be the same at 041842.02. 
 
(Superfluously or otherwise, this is a bit like saying "good job" to 
Wernher von Braun and Stark Draper late in 1969 July, since the truth is 
obvious to all, but nevertheless,) 
I'd like sincerely to congratulate Rainer Kracht on finding 96- 29 A; and 
everyone else (Ted, your confidence seems quite justified) involved in the 
hunt as well. 
 
The B object, NOSS 2-3 r, was fairly bright about 7 minutes earlier, and 
tumbling with a period of about 11/2 = 5 1/2 seconds.  Hopefully, PPAS 
report to follow. 
 
Cheers. 
 
Walter Nissen                   dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu

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Astronomy is lights in the sky.