I offer the following suggestions for prospective observers of the engine firings. 1. Plume Brightness I have been in contact with the project on the matter of expected plume brightness, and received the following guidance (which I have somewhat summarized), attributed to a professional in rocket engine development and test. Despite estimated exhaust gas temperature of about 500-600 K, which results in low gas brightness at visible wavelengths, a very bright plume is observed, due to very hot carbon particles generated in the engine chamber. It is predicted that it may be possible to observe the plume by binoculars, perhaps the naked eye. The reality is that we cannot be certain how bright the plume will be. If I were in a position to attempt to observe the engine firings, I would prepare for the worst case (a faint plume), and allow myself to be pleasantly surprised if it proves visible to the unaided eye. To enable precise astrometry of the spacecraft's trajectory, which is the primary objective, it will be required to observe a fairly faint star background, and the optical equipment that will detect such stars should do reasonably well on a faint engine plume. 2. Observing Strategy When firing, the engine will be at the end of the spacecraft opposite the direction of travel. This means that during the first half of the pass, as the spacecraft approaches the observer, it will block the observer's view of the engine, and probably the brightest portion of the plume. After the point of closest approach, as the spacecraft recedes, the engine and brightest portion of the plume will be exposed to the observer, maximizing visibility and apparent brightness. So, if the plume proves faint, it will be more likely to be detected once the spacecraft is somewhat east of the observer. But that does not mean that observations should not be attempted earlier in the pass. For trajectory analysis, the longer the arc over which observations are available, the better; therefore, I would plan to intercept the spacecraft fairly early in the pass, but be prepared to rapidly re-aim to intercept it at several later points. In the event it is spotted at the earliest intercept point, then I would track it as long as possible, and of course record data. In the event that it is not seen at the first intercept point, perhaps because it is faint, or obscured by a passing cloud, I would move to the next intercept point. In selecting intercept points, I would verify that a reasonable number of detectable stars will be in the field of view (to aid in the astrometry), and I would make certain to allow sufficient time between intercept points to re-aim the optics. This last point is an important consideration for everyone, but especially those closest to the ground track, who will experience angular velocity well over 1 deg/s. Since the spacecraft will move rapidly, and may not be visible to the unaided eye, observers need to quickly and reliably move from one intercept point to the next, without relying on easy visibility. If an automated pointing system is used, its mechanism be sufficiently fast to move to the next intercept point, to avoid missing the observation. If manual star-hopping is to be used, then that also will take time, that must be accounted for. The ephemeris is the most important tool for planning your strategy. Yesterday, I posted an example, computed for Carlos Bella, who is in a good location to observe part of burn #1: http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/phsrm/Phobos-Grunt_Ephemeris-v1_(sample).pdf I will be pleased to provide the MS-Excel spreadsheet used to generate the ephemeris, on request. Not everyone uses Excel, so I would be pleased to produce the ephemeris. I need only the precise site coordinates, which should be accurate to within 100 m. Time permitting, I am also willing to assist in planning an observer's strategy. I will need information on the method of observing, the observer's experience, physical obstructions that may block the view of the track, etc. 3. Near-Real-Time Data Requirement A significant challenge for observers is the requirement to report observed data in near-real-time, which practically means "as soon as possible". Prospective observers are requested to pre-register, and to report results via this page: http://phobos.cosmos.ru/index.php?id=1686&L=2 An example of the required format is shown at the bottom of that page. I have reproduced it here, with my interpretation of the key information: Date/time R.A. and Dec (2000.0) mag ---------------- ------------------------ ------ yyyy mm dd.ddddd hh mm ss.sss+dd mm ss.ss Rosetta C2005 03 02.00860 11 05 08.545+02 24 23.95 16.1 V D0020557 Elsewhere, the required format has been described as MPC 80-column. Since I concentrate on artificial satellites, I seldom encounter these formats, but my guess is that the above may be an abbreviated version. Observers should be prepared to reduce their observations quickly and reliably, to meet the near-time requirement. If there are observers who feel confident in their ability to obtain still or video imagery, but need assistance with data reduction, I am willing to assist, but please do not wait to the last minute to make your request. I need to know what form your data will take, so that I am prepared to handle it. 4. Practice Makes Perfect If your astronomy specialty involves something other than observing artificial satellites, then you should consider practicing on a few satellites, to identify any problems in your proposed methodology and gain some efficiency and speed. The spacecraft will move rapidly, so planning and preparation are essential to success. Happy hunting! Ted Molczan _______________________________________________ Seesat-l mailing list http://mailman.satobs.org/mailman/listinfo/seesat-l
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