Re: Iridium Rocket Obs, and Question

Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Sun, 8 Mar 1998 09:44:02 -0500 (EST)

bart@satellite.eu.org (Bart De Pontieu) writes: 
> Date: Sat Feb 21 09:15:45 1998 
 
> A rocket body can be tumbling end-over-end and look steady on one 
> particular pass. This will happen if you're looking along the rotation 
> axis. The next pass your viewing angle will be different and it will flash 
> again. Zenit rocket bodies were famous for this behaviour, one could see 
> it happening during one pass. 
 
A traditional observing behavior, one facilitated by many tracking 
programs, is to acquire an object near culmination, i.e., near its highest 
altitude on a particular pass, and follow it for a while or until it 
disappears.  Consistent use of this method deprives the observer of the 
full experience of satellite observing.  An alternative is to estimate 
approximately when and where one will be able to acquire the object and 
then follow it thru culmination and beyond.  This is more difficult and 
can be more frustrating and nerve-wracking, but it also can show you a 
good bit more. 
 
Rocket bodies, the NOSS 2-n triads, large objects like Mir, STS, TiPS, 
Lacrosses, HST, GRO, SeaSat, notorious flashers like the Tselinas, NOAAs, 
Tiros N, Topex, SROSS-C2, DMSPs (especially F7 = 23233), USA 32, USA 81, 
Iridium nn, Meteors, are appropriate objects for whole pass observation. 
A few of the brightest and most appropriate are listed below. 
 
One can record 2 different personal bests.  One would be the lowest 
altitude to which it is possible to follow an object.  A second would be 
the lowest altitude at which it is possible to acquire an object. 
 
Cheers. 
 
Walter Nissen                   dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu 
-81.8637, 41.3735, 256m elevation 
 
--- 
 
Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, the days of the 
Saturday Night Massacre, when Richard Nixon wanted to play "You Bet Your 
Republic!" with our Republic.  NOT!  Please support strengthening the 
Independent Counsel Statute when it expires next year, not gutting it. 
 
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                                  suggestive magnitudes (informal) 
Vulgar name      Cat #  COSPAR ID  maximum     maximum glint 
Atlas Centaur 2  00694  63- 47A    3           *2 
CoBE             20322  89- 89A    5 
Cosmos 1220      12054  80- 89A    0 
1515             14551  83-122A    4           *1 
1536             14699  84- 13A    5 or 6      *4 or 3 
1602             15331  84-105A    3 or 2      *1 
1606             15369  84-111A    5           *2 or 3 
1626             15494  85-  9A    3.5         *2 
1633             15592  85- 20A    3 or 4      *2 
1666             15889  85- 58A    4 or 5 
1703             16262  85-108A                *0 
1726             16495  86-  6A    4           *3 
1758             16791  86- 46A    5 or 6 
1812             17295  87-  3A    6           *3 
1842             17911  87- 38A    4 or 5      *0 
1892             18421  87- 88A    3 or 2      *1 
1908             18748  88-  1A    4 or 5      *3 or 4 
1933             18958  88- 20A    2           *1 
1953             19210  88- 50A    2           *-2 
1975             19573  88- 93A    2           *0 
1980             19649  88-102A                *0 
1992 r           19770  89-  5B    4 or 5      *3 or 4 
2058             20465  90- 10A    4           *0 
2151             21422  91- 42A    1 or 2      *0 
2221             22236  92- 80A    2 
2228             22286  92- 94A    4 
2242             22626  93- 24A    1 or 2      *0 
DMSP B5D1-3      10820  78- 42A    0           *-2 
DMSP B5D2-2      14506  83-113A    4.7 
DMSP B5D2-5      20978  90-105A    3 or 4 
DMSP B5D2-7      23233  94- 57A    3 or 4      *0 
ELINT (KH 9-17)  13172  82- 41C                *3.5 
Freja            22161  92- 64A    6 or 7      *6 
GRO              21225  91- 27B    4       (reported much brighter 
                                            from low latitudes) 
Helios 1A r      23608  95- 33D    2 or 3      *0 
HST              20580  90- 37B    2           *-1 or -2 
Lacrosse 1       19671  88-106B    0           *0 
Lacrosse 2       21147  91- 17A    1           *0 
Lacrosse 2 r     21148  91- 17B                *1 
Lacrosse 3       25017  97- 64A 
Lageos 2 r       22196  92- 70D    3           *-1 
M* 1- 4          04393  70- 37A    4           *1 
M* 1-17          07274  74- 25A                *1 
Microlab 1       23547  95- 17C    5           *0 
Mir              16609  86- 17A    -1          *-3 
Nadezhda 3 r     21153  91- 19B    4           *2 
NOAA 7           12553  81- 59A    0 or 1      *-1 or 0 
NOAA 8           13923  83- 22A                *2 
NOAA 12          21263  91- 32A    4           *0 or 1 
NOAA 13          22739  93- 50A                *-1 
NOSS 2-1 B       20682  90- 50B    4 
NOSS 2-1 C       20691  90- 50C    3 
NOSS 2-1 D       20692  90- 50D    3 
NOSS 2-2 C       21799  91- 76C    4 
NOSS 2-2 D       21808  91- 76D    4 
NOSS 2-2 E       21809  91- 76E    4 
NOSS 2-3 C       23908  96- 29C    4 or 5 
NOSS 2-3 D       23862  96- 29D    4 or 5 
NOSS 2-3 E       23936  96- 29E    4 or 5 
NOSS 2-3 r       23907  96- 29B    0 
SeaSat 1         10967  78- 64A    2           *0 
SROSS-C2         23099  94- 27A    -1 or -2    *-2 
TiPS             23937  96- 29F&G 
Tiros N          11060  78- 96A    4 or 5      *2 
Topex            22076  92- 52A                *3 
UARS             21701  91- 63B    1           *-1 (reported as bright as -5) 
UME 1            08709  76- 19A    4 
USA 32           19460  88- 78A    3           *1 or 2 
USA 81           21949  92- 23A    3           *2 
                                   See Mike McCants' QuickSat catalog for
                                   more definitive magnitudes.