Decaying Objects Questions

Ron Lee (ronlee@pcisys.net)
Sun, 16 Mar 1997 07:47:15 -0700 (MST)

>OIG modified
>1 24316U 96054B   97075.22151452 1.29999999 -24605-4  47693-2 0   895
>2 24316  25.2920  85.7328 1985484 273.3537  64.6432 11.93874537  9057
>
I just used the elset provided by Bjoern to see what is visible here
tonight (early 17 Mar).  After a low pass at 03:31, I get an error
from Skymap about ndot or drag being too large.   I was not able to
use the elsets in STSPLUS due to similar problems.
Granted the object may not be in orbit after 331 UT (17 Mar), but
I would like to observe it again if possible.

Is there another program that will work with elset or should I wait
for an elset with a lower drag term that is acceptable to Skymap?

This is an interesting object.  Alan's comment about the object being
lower if earlier ( higher if later ) was right on.  Will have to
visualize the orbit to understand the viewing changes.  But it 
makes future obs of this nature easier to undertake since I will be 
able to make adjustments for likely elset uncertainties.

Is the earlier/lower, later/higher adjustment for near apogee objects
a general rule, or might that be reversed under different conditions?

Ron Lee