OE Astro observed with Nextsat

From: Ted Molczan (molczanssl@rogers.com)
Date: Thu May 17 2007 - 23:06:05 EDT

  • Next message: Ted Molczan: "TJM obs of 2007 May 18 UTC"

    I observed Astro (07006A / 30772) in formation with Nextsat (07006C / 30774), on
    2007 May 18 on at 02:30 UTC. 
    
    30772 07 006A   2701 G 20070518022939640 17 25 1651473+422115 77 S
    30774 07 006C   2701 G 20070518022940020 17 25 1651473+422115 77 S
    30772 07 006A   2701 G 20070518023023000 17 25 1733635+263752 18 S
    30772 07 006A   2701 G 20070518023100520 17 25 1752821+174998 37 E
    
    IOD format: http://www.satobs.org/position/IODformat.html
    
    Site 2701: 43.68764 N, 79.39243 W, 230 m
    
    I assumed that the lead object was Astro, because it was about 1 mag brighter
    than the trailing object, and reddish-orange. Pre-launch photos reveal both
    objects with considerable gold thermal blanket, but in all observations to-date,
    only Astro has been discernibly reddish. I believe that is due in large part to
    its greater brightness.
    
    I timed them 0.38 s apart passing the same reference stars, at a point where
    their angular velocity was about 0.55 deg/s, which puts their separation at
    about 0.21 deg. Range was 663 km; therefore, 0.21 deg was equivalent to
    approximately 2.4 km linear separation.
    
    Considering the difficulty in accurately timing objects is such close proximity,
    I estimate 50 percent uncertainty in the separation.
    
    I may be able to observe them on the next pass.
    
    Ted Molczan
    
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