Observations 19 MAY 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) 70-200mm focal length f/2.8 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 4 inch refracor. Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal. (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters. using integration times of 5 sec min to 25 seconds maximum depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image processing done, but some done automatically in the auto reduction software. Used with 4 inch SKYWATCHER refractor- model 1025 - fitted with home made focal reducer to give an f/2.56 system. Image scale is 6.56 arc sec/pixel and field of view 84.8 x 63.2 arc minutes. This telescope replaces the 6 inch reflector used previously as image quality is better, has a larger field of view, less surface area so less prone to wind shake, and in addition is at least as sensitive, if not superior to the 6 inch reflector. Shows 15th magnitude stars in real time with reasonably good conditions. 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: ---------------------------- 13086 82 019A 0433 G 20090519212832000 16 15 1336503+001424 18 +137 02 13086 82 019A 0433 G 20090519213019000 16 15 1338315+000720 38 +136 03 13086 82 019A 0433 G 20090519213144000 16 35 1339873+000282 88 +130 03 25336 98 029A 0433 G 20090519171732500 16 15 1216293+065446 18 +087 00 25336 98 029A 0433 G 20090519172005500 16 15 1219025+064856 38 +086 01 25336 98 029A 0433 G 20090519172127500 16 15 1220242+064551 18 +090 01 25336 98 029A 0433 G 20090519183009000 16 15 1328597+040800 28 +084 00 25336 98 029A 0433 G 20090519183106000 16 15 1329563+040552 18 +085 00 25336 98 029A 0433 G 20090519183151000 16 15 1330416+040408 18 +084 01 28500 04 050A 0433 G 20090519222703000 16 15 1601089+193401 18 +133 01 28500 04 050A 0433 G 20090519223114000 16 15 1605448+193335 38 +132 06 28500 04 050A 0433 G 20090519223248000 16 15 1607283+193318 28 +136 02 28546 04 050B 0433 G 20090519223442500 16 15 1853086+170413 28 +117 01 28546 04 050B 0433 G 20090519223603500 16 15 1854163+170237 28 +123 03 28546 04 050B 0433 G 20090519223709500 16 15 1855108+170123 18 +122 02 29242 06 024C 0433 G 20090519221806000 16 15 1442045+070641 28 +139 02 29242 06 024C 0433 G 20090519221952000 16 15 1443557+070535 38 +130 01 29242 06 024C 0433 G 20090519222056000 16 15 1445026+070457 28 +135 04 32287 07 054A 0433 G 20090519174606000 16 15 1319184+024345 97 +120 02 32287 07 054A 0433 G 20090519174731000 16 15 1320437+024408 18 +126 03 32287 07 054A 0433 G 20090519174918000 16 15 1322305+024437 28 +129 02 33490 09 001A 0433 G 20090519203244000 16 15 1554226+021800 28 +080 01 33490 09 001A 0433 G 20090519203458000 16 15 1556361+021730 28 +081 01 33490 09 001A 0433 G 20090519203605000 16 15 1557431+021714 28 +080 00 33490 09 001A 0433 G 20090519224307000 16 15 1804492+021818 28 +079 00 33490 09 001A 0433 G 20090519224553000 16 15 1807353+021857 28 +079 00 33490 09 001A 0433 G 20090519224806000 16 15 1809481+021931 28 +079 00 33491 09 001B 0433 G 20090519175145000 16 15 1337115+025527 28 +098 02 33491 09 001B 0433 G 20090519201348000 16 15 1548232+020250 28 +099 01 33491 09 001B 0433 G 20090519201519000 16 15 1549480+020234 28 +098 01 90030 05 544A 0433 G 20090519204107000 16 15 1611379+025118 18 +110 00 90030 05 544A 0433 G 20090519204258000 16 15 1613306+024647 28 +113 01 90030 05 544A 0433 G 20090519204427000 16 15 1615008+024311 18 +109 01 90040 05 683A 0433 G 20090519195156000 16 15 1147479-180412 97 +113 01 90040 05 683A 0433 G 20090519195815000 16 15 1151372-182644 18 +112 00 90040 05 683A 0433 G 20090519200303000 16 15 1154341-184343 48 +113 14 90040 05 683A 0433 G 20090519200511000 16 15 1155537-185108 18 +113 01 90073 07 569A 0433 G 20090519210647000 16 15 1134164-005449 48 +138 03 90073 07 569A 0433 G 20090519211256000 16 15 1140132-011236 29 +127 06 90073 07 569A 0433 G 20090519211501000 16 15 1142149-011905 28 +144 03 90074 06 585B 0433 G 20090519212313500 16 15 1702316-103207 28 +138 02 90074 06 585B 0433 G 20090519212418500 16 15 1703383-103330 28 +138 06 90074 06 585B 0433 G 20090519212507500 16 15 1704283-103433 28 +136 04 90074 06 585B 0433 G 20090519212540500 16 15 1705017-103512 28 +135 03 90075 05 605D 0433 G 20090519212832000 16 25 1337661+002278 69 +138 61 90075 05 605D 0433 G 20090519212958000 16 25 1338723+002091 89 +141 11 90075 05 605D 0433 G 20090519213123000 16 15 1339490+001915 48 +142 03 96011 96 511A 0433 G 20090519213557000 16 15 1636467+050722 38 +133 03 96011 96 511A 0433 G 20090519213744000 16 15 1638339+050320 28 +136 02 96011 96 511A 0433 G 20090519213909000 16 15 1639593+050013 28 +137 03 96022 96 522A 0433 G 20090519214122000 16 15 1424493+080139 68 +129 03 96022 96 522A 0433 G 20090519214308000 16 15 1426355+075607 28 +126 10 96022 96 522A 0433 G 20090519214433000 16 15 1428006+075126 48 +130 03 96025 96 525A 0433 G 20090519214843500 16 15 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1611026+054404 28 +135 01 96067 96 567A 0433 G 20090519191744000 16 15 1447521+080352 28 +138 07 96067 96 567A 0433 G 20090519191930000 16 15 1449379+080130 28 +136 02 96067 96 567A 0433 G 20090519192034000 16 15 1450414+080007 28 +139 03 96082 96 582A 0433 G 20090519194045000 16 15 1119086+082631 38 +141 03 96082 96 582A 0433 G 20090519194210000 16 15 1120167+082302 38 +137 03 96082 96 582A 0433 G 20090519194356000 16 15 1121395+081809 38 +138 04 Strays seen: -------------- THURAYA 2 27825 03 026A 0433 E 20090519183009000 16 15 1329585+032819 28 +109 00 27825 03 026A 0433 E 20090519183151000 16 15 1331413+032711 18 +110 01 SL-12 R/B(2) 23683 95 054D 0433 E 20090519213557000 16 15 1634336+050833 28 +132 02 23683 95 054D 0433 E 20090519213847000 16 15 1637224+050120 28 +135 02 SKYNET 4C 20776 90 079A 0433 E 20090519214143000 16 15 1422449+073902 48 +137 03 20776 90 079A 0433 E 20090519214433000 16 15 1425338+073053 19 +120 06 INSAT 2D 24820 97 027B 0433 E 20090519220118000 16 15 1456417+070827 28 +129 04 24820 97 027B 0433 E 20090519220409000 16 15 1459314+070058 28 +131 05 ARABSAT 3A 25638 99 009A 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1604307+054544 18 +104 01 25638 99 009A 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1607430+054513 28 +103 01 NAVSTAR 16 20302 89 085A 0433 E 20090519220347000 16 15 1459546+075011 98 +135 06 20302 89 085A 0433 E 20090519220430000 16 15 1500397+073224 89 +128 15 ARABSAT 2B 24652 96 063A 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1605122+052819 18 +097 01 24652 96 063A 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1608241+052823 28 +102 01 SL-12 R/B(2) 29233 06 022D 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1606483+062330 18 +116 01 29233 06 022D 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1610028+062058 28 +115 01 ASTRA 1D 23331 94 070A 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1609031+060056 18 +097 01 23331 94 070A 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1612149+055930 28 +100 02 GALS 2 23717 95 063A 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1609314+055650 18 +121 02 23717 95 063A 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1612408+054922 28 +124 03 TURKSAT 1C 23949 96 040B 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1607461+055221 18 +109 01 23949 96 040B 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1610578+055122 28 +110 01 ASTRA 2C 26853 01 025A 0433 E 20090519220619000 16 15 1610016+052934 18 +120 02 26853 01 025A 0433 E 20090519220930000 16 15 1613132+052928 28 +121 02 Notes: (1) All automatic processing by APEX-II. (2) Good night for a change despite earlier cloud and much rain. Cheers Greg ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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