Optical - 20 March 2009

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Sat Mar 21 2009 - 14:01:12 UTC

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    Observations 20 March 2009
    --------------------------------------
    
    Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
    Camera mount now carries two systems that can be operated
    together as two totally different sytems and computers used.
    Generally the DSI Pro II camera will be used for high altitude
    slow moving objects. Tests seem to indicate that its sensitivity
    is comparable to the MINTRON ( possibly better) but as its not
    possible (?) to time stamp to better than 1 second accuracy the
    time resolution is not good enough for LEO objects.
    
    (1) 145mm focal length f/2.5 lens fitted to MINTRON low light
    level CCD surveillance camera (0.005 lux typical in non integration
    mode) and 0.00005 lux in STARLIGHT mode with 128 frame integration.
    Image integrated for 2.56 seconds but exposure depends on sky background
    brightness. Field of view 2.5 x 1.9 degrees and showing about mag +12
    stars in "real time". Used as a finder for the 6 inch reflector.
    Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal.
    
    (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters.
    using integration times of 20 sec min to 60 seconds maximum
    depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image
    processing done.
    Used with 6 inch f/5 CELESTRON reflector modified to f/2.7 with home
    made corrector lens.Field of view 55 by 40 arc minutes and showing
    15th magnitude stars in real time.
    Exposure time to nearest second inserted into image FITS header
    from PC clock which is automatically checked every minute against
    GPS signal.
    
    Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude -33.94058 deg,
    Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa
    
    For CLASSFD.TLE:
    ---------------------------
    33490 09 001A   0433 F 20090320183547000 56 15 1041587+053004 39  +075 05
    33490 09 001A   0433 F 20090320183729000 56 15 1044172+052706 39  +075 05
    96015 96 515A   0433 F 20090320184701000 56 15 0820048+132311 39  +130 05
    96015 96 515A   0433 F 20090320185143000 56 15 0824514+132814 39  +135 05
    96019 96 519A   0433 F 20090320185531000 56 15 0931021+154533 39  +120 05
    96019 96 519A   0433 F 20090320190013000 56 15 0935512+154646 39  +120 05
    96020 96 520A   0433 F 20090320190403000 56 15 0921307+103100 39  +115 05
    96020 96 520A   0433 F 20090320190800000 56 15 0924413+102744 39  +115 05
    96029 96 529A   0433 F 20090320191324000 56 15 0709419+175159 39  +120 05
    96029 96 529A   0433 F 20090320191721000 56 15 0713474+175414 39  +120 05
    96040 96 540A   0433 F 20090320192401000 56 15 0759162+190805 39  +125 05
    96040 96 540A   0433 F 20090320192628000 56 15 0801503+190306 39  +125 05
    96059 96 559A   0433 F 20090320193500000 56 15 1016245+073859 39  +115 05
    96059 96 559A   0433 F 20090320193857000 56 15 1019284+072130 39  +115 05
    96060 96 560A   0433 F 20090320194154000 56 15 0710398+245756 39  +125 05
    96060 96 560A   0433 F 20090320194405000 56 15 0712500+245153 39  +125 05
    96076 96 576A   0433 F 20090320195316000 56 15 0954385+083725 39  +120 05
    96076 96 576A   0433 F 20090320195607000 56 15 0957024+083209 39  +120 05
    27168 02 001A   0433 F 20090320195316000 56 15 0953121+081316 39  +080 05
    27168 02 001A   0433 F 20090320195607000 56 15 0956028+081249 39  +080 05
    96091 96 591A   0433 F 20090320200734000 56 15 0827493+134747 39  +105 05
    96091 96 591A   0433 F 20090320200910000 56 15 0829258+134405 39  +105 05
    96095 96 595A   0433 F 20090320202153000 56 15 1138266+111527 39  +110 05
    96095 96 595A   0433 F 20090320202443000 56 15 1141159+110510 39  +110 05
    96093 96 593A   0433 F 20090320201547000 56 15 1014530+035957 39  +120 05
    96093 96 593A   0433 F 20090320201859000 56 15 1018344+034159 39  +120 05
    96102 96 602A   0433 F 20090320204205000 56 15 1351563-031702 39  +140 05
    96102 96 602A   0433 F 20090320204355000 56 15 1353250-032304 39  +140 05
    96132 96 632A   0433 F 20090320204849000 56 15 0808202+154740 39  +125 05
    96132 96 632A   0433 F 20090320205255000 56 15 0812240+154630 39  +125 05
    22915 93 074A   0433 F 20090320205658000 56 15 1257408+100640 39  +095 05
    22915 93 074A   0433 F 20090320210246000 56 15 1303293+100243 39  +095 05
    22915 93 074A   0433 F 20090320210513000 56 15 1305564+100105 39  +095 05
    96137 96 637A   0433 F 20090320210758000 56 15 0915557+140719 39  +135 05
    96137 96 637A   0433 F 20090320211137000 56 15 0919329+135359 39  +135 05
    96145 96 645A   0433 F 20090320212039000 56 15 1127255-111946 39  +105 05
    96145 96 645A   0433 F 20090320212144000 56 15 1128481-112333 39  +105 05
    96145 96 645A   0433 F 20090320212306000 56 15 1130315-112745 39  +105 05
    26880 01 033A   0433 F 20090320203134000 56 15 1329247+083446 39  +105 05
    26880 01 033A   0433 F 20090320203446000 56 15 1332370+083218 39  +105 05
    
    Strays seen:
    --------------
    SL-12 R/B(2) geostationary, steady
    26939 01 045D   0433 F 20090320202153000 56 15 1139294+112144 39  +105 05
    METEOSAT 7 geostationary
    24932 97 049B   0433 F 20090320205658000 56 15 1301250+100408 39  +100 05
    AMC-14 geostationary drifter
    32708 08 011A   0433 F 20090320191021000 56 15 0929189+103842 39  +105 05
    
    New unknown ?
    ---------------
    91145 09 579A   0433 F 20090320210246000 56 15 1302396+094921 39  +115 05
    91145 09 579A   0433 F 20090320210351000 56 15 1303406+094539 39  +115 05
    91145 09 579A   0433 F 20090320210513000 56 15 1304589+094110 39  +115 05
    
    Notes:
    ---------
    (1) Although transparency reasonble there was a strong breeze which
        caused vibration problems.
    
    (2) Main purpose was to test out a new commercial 0.5x focal reducer.
        Took only one satellite to realise that it was useless due to severe
        flaring on bright objects. Also quite difficult to get a reasonable
        focus. My cheap opera glass objective focal reducer is vastly superior
        and was used for the remainder of the session. I have another homemade
        focal reducer that should give me a 6-inch aperture telescope at f/2.0
        - this will be tried out next session.
    
    (3) Another possible unknown found that has a reasonable inclination.
        However I am sure there will be many orbits that fit such a small
        arc so its unlikely it will be observed again on purpose.
    
    (4) #96015 trail not well defined - object is variable
        #96060 variable - faint irregular quick flashes
        #96102 difficult, not visible all the time
        #96137 irregular faint variable
        #96145 numerous short period flashes
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
    
    
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