Re: Observations - Shenzhou 3 + Shenzhou 3 Rocket

From: Jonathan T Wojack (tlj18@juno.com)
Date: Sat Mar 30 2002 - 15:42:34 EST

  • Next message: Kevin Fetter: "Intelsat 903"

    > Same passes, about 120km to the west.
    > 
    > The Shenzhou 3 Rocket is in a slow roll. I had a rough flash times 
    > of about 11-16 seconds.  The first cycle (beginning at 0:07:48.45 
    > UTC, 30 March) consisted of 7.25 of 0 mag followed by 5.75 of inv.  
    > The next cycle was 14.25 at a brightness peaking at -1 mag followed 
    > by 2.88 secs inv.  The next 3 cycles were difficult to determine 
    > because it did not go completely inv.  They were 7.83, 10.93 and 
    > 15.3 secs respectively.  Although there was a fair amount of ambient 
    > light it was clear to me that this object was tumbling.  The pass 
    > itself was NW -> E  -  max elevation 55 deg in the NNE.
    
    What are the possible explanations for a varying rotation period during a
    single pass?  I would think that even a complex tumbling action would
    still produce the same rotation period.  Or perhaps I am not visualizing
    it properly.
    
    ------------------------------
    Jonathan T. Wojack                 tlj18@juno.com
    39.706d N   75.683d W            5 hours behind UT (-5)         
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