Optical 25 Nov 2008-part 2

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Thu Nov 27 2008 - 11:28:10 UTC

  • Next message: Kevin Fetter: "re:Kevin's video featured on the radio.... ??????????"

    Observations 25 Nov 2008 Part 2
    ---------------------------------------
    
    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 sesnitivity
    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) 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.
    Used with 50mm focal length f/1.8 lens,integrating for 128 fields
    which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum
    per image. Field of view 6.8 x 5.4 degrees.
    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 but dark field applied.
    Used with 200mm focal length f/2.8 Nikkon telephoto lens,
    field of view 1.88 x 1.40 degrees. Can get to magnitude 13
    or so in less than 20 seconds exposure.
    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 S,
    Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa
    
    
    For CLASSFD.TLE:
    --------------------------
    25725 99 023B   0433 P 20081125190045400 56 15 0000560+090554 39  +020 05
    
    Strays seen:
    --------------
    SL-12 R/B(2), geostationary, variable
    18578 87 096D   0433 P 20081125184508000 56 15 0231275+071757 39  +120 05
    ARIANE 2 debri, range 27670 kms- thought it was unknown
    23966 88 098F   0433 P 20081125212314000 56 15 0220227+083215 39  +095 05
    23966 88 098F   0433 P 20081125212756000 56 15 0233347+084127 39  +095 05
    23966 88 098F   0433 P 20081125213247000 56 15 0237586+085047 39  +095 05
    ARIANE 42L R/B, geostationary,variable
    22655 93 031C   0433 P 20081125212756000 56 15 0229284+072113 39  +090 05
    GORIZONT 13, geostationary, variable
    17083 86 090A   0433 P 20081125213247000 56 15 0240549+093302 39  +120 05
    ARIANE 5 R/B, range 15350 kms, variable
    27832 03 028C   0433 P 20081125185940000 56 15 0003273+100335 39  +100 05
    ARABSAT 3A, geostationary
    25638 99 009A   0433 P 20081125191834000 56 15 0146096+051528 39  +110 05
    ARIANE 44 L, range 21530 kms
    23867 96 030D   0433 P 20081125194100000 56 15 0008400+071137 39  +100 05
    ARIANE 44L debri, range 16100kms, variable
    20718 90 063D   0433 P 20081125194329000 56 15 0011368+063859 39  +090 05
    RADUGA 1M-1, geostationary
    32373 07 058A   0433 P 20081125194729000 56 15 0511574+051156 39  +110 05
    INTELSAT 506, geostationary,variable
    14077 83 047A   0433 P 20081125205052000 56 15 2212537-054143 39  +125 05
    ARIANE 44P R/B
    21727 91 067B   0433 P 20081125204805200 56 15 0125360+305808 39  +060 05
    SL-3 R/B steady
    08027 75 064B   0433 P 20081125184042300 56 15 0212380+074329 39  +030 05
    COSMOS 1844, steady
    14973 87 041A   0433 P 20081125190535600 56 15 2358570+105358 39  +035 05
    SL-3 R/B steady
    08800 76 032B   0433 P 20081125191242200 56 15 0048550+072010 39  +030 05
    SL-8 R/B variable
    09510 76 108B   0433 P 20081125191651500 56 15 0149070+033625 39  +035 05
    SL-8 R/B variable
    22208 92 073B   0433 P 20081125200256300 56 15 2129260-083742 39  +060 05
    PSLV R/B variable
    28050 03 046B   0433 P 20081125202446000 56 15 2153320-053620 39  +070 05
    NSTAR A , geostationary, one brilliant slow flare to +2 mag
    23651 95 044A   0433 P 20081125210048900 56 15 2305480+015543 39  +020 05
    IUS R/B(1) steady
    19970 89 033C   0433 P 20081125212157200 56 15 0217260+060023 39  +050 05
    GORIZONT 17, geostationary, flashing every 30 seconds to mag +6
    19765 89 004A   0433 P 20081125212218400 56 15 0215430+060903 39  +060 05
    ATLAS 2AS Centaur, steady
    26072 00 007B   0433 P 20081125212317700 56 15 0218500+072551 39  +060 05
    
    
    Unknown 1 - drunk wayward bird?
    00000 00 000LEO 0433 P 20081125202105600 56 15 1710320-820246 39  +080 05
    00000 00 000LEO 0433 P 20081125202110600 56 15 1814290-802319 39  +080 05
    00000 00 000LEO 0433 P 20081125202116500 56 15 1906550-775902 39  +080 05
    
    Unknown 2 - leo? steady at +5 mag
    91127 08 830LEO 0433 P 20081125211546600 56 15 2307360-002812 39  +055 05
    91127 08 830LEO 0433 P 20081125211600200 56 15 2317260-004913 39  +055 05
    91127 08 830LEO 0433 P 20081125211608700 56 15 2323480-010049 39  +055 05
    91127 08 830LEO 0433 P 20081125211619200 56 15 2331400-011439 39  +055 05
    
    
    Notes:
    ------
    
    (1) Unknown 1 crossed field of view, rather faint,disappearing at times.
        Rough orbit gives  i =36 degrees, period 87.2 min and height 140km
        which indicates not a satellite and most probably a bird. See a lot
        of them but usually several in a group.
    
       Another brilliant "unknown"  was videotaped but not seen or heard
      (wasnt watching the particular  monitor at the time) and looked like a
      "UFO mother ship" so, since Im under an aircraft flight path it was a
       passenger jet plane.
    
    (2) Unknown 2 - cant find a match in element database. Rough orbit gives
        i =29.7 degrees, period 103 minutes and height 925 kms and RA Node
        130.6 degrees.  Probably Ariane debri going over close to perigee so
        not running close to predictions ?
    
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive:  
    http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Nov 27 2008 - 11:30:42 UTC