Optical 06 Oct 2013

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Tue Oct 08 2013 - 13:19:16 UTC

  • Next message: C. Bassa: "Re: Optical 06 Oct 2013"

    Observations 06 OCT 2013:
    ----------------------------
    
    Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
    
    FLI8300M CCD camera with 135mm focal length f/2.8 lens
    Field of view 5.7 x 7.5 degrees
    
    All measuring manually in between trying to stay awake.
    
    Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude  33.94058 deg S,
    Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa
    
    Using new SPACECOM elements for idents and hope that the "comedy"
    is now over and their elements are correct.
    
    FALCON 9 OBJECTS:
    ----------------------
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006172804262 55 15 2144482-381428 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006172810454 55 15 2143587-364621 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006172818150 55 15 2143026-345553 19
    39625 13 058A   0433 G 20131006172825835 55 15 2142128-330721 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006172833520 55 15 2141124-311655 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006191247097 55 15 1710288-102238 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006191329403 55 15 1721412-043721 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006191551979 55 15 1750434+130225 19
    39265 13 055A   0433 G 20131006191503638 55 15 1741517+071322 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006172448388 55 15 2153340-380531 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006172459491 55 15 2151510-353127 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006172513056 55 15 2149589-321939 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006190600245 55 15 1550279-374540 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006190648927 55 15 1613332-322058 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006190713258 55 15 1623343-293249 19
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006190931615 55 15 1712267-111039 19  +025 05
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006190933615 55 15 1713051-101914 19  +025 05
    39271 13 055G   0433 G 20131006190945708 55 15 1716247-083716 19  +025 05
    39284 13 055T   0433 G 20131006183037463 55 15 1741522-201829 19  +095 05
    39284 13 055T   0433 G 20131006183045549 55 15 1745367-182447 19  +090 05
    39284 13 055T   0433 G 20131006183050136 55 15 1748218-170001 19  +085 05
    39284 13 055T   0433 G 20131006183055724 55 15 1750159-160031 19  +090 05
    
    STRAYS SEEN:
    ----------------
    37739 11 033A   0433 G 20131006185550791 55 15 1713540-201515 19
    01361 65 034C   0433 G 20131006185838095 55 15 1714417-201659 19  +095 05
    05917 72 022A   0433 G 20131006181848099 55 15 1839520-244405 19  +040 05
    12458 81 044A   0433 G 20131006190713258 55 15 1616597-294902 19  +090 05
    12682 81 077B   0433 G 20131006172844284 55 15 2146387-381428 19  +055 05
    12682 81 077B   0433 G 20131006172901204 55 15 2141463-315142 19  +055 05
    25908 99 049B   0433 G 20131006191551979 55 15 1756466+141949 19
    21689 91 061B   0433 G 20131006174026829 55 15 2103247-325959 19  +040 05
    
    
    NOTES:
    --------
    
    (1) Object A is probably CASSIOPE as the brightest of the payloads placed
        in orbit. Bright enough to see in fairly bright twilight with 0.2 sec
        exposure with my system.
    (2) Rocket is object G - easy under any conditions- also photographed in
        strong twilight with 0.2 second exposures- couldnt go longer because
        sky too bright. The brightness can vary quite a lot depending on
        phase angle - from about +4 at the one horizon and then mag +2.5 at
        the other end of the same pass. I dont think the satellite is tumbling
        etc
    (3) Object T still remains a mystery - now seen it on at least two
        occassions so what it actually is remains a mystery but around mag +9
        and slowly variable.
    (4) On second pass of object A I actually tracked on it automatically -
        ("integrated track") was then a very easy object as the tracking on it
        effectively added about 2 to 3 magnitudes to the satellites magnitude.
    (5) Now that the objects are hopefully correctly identified I will try
        tonight and do an "integrated" track on the objects that are believed
        to be the major payloads.
    (6) Still have a fair number of classified satellites to report and will
        use APEX but probably not today as I now want to plan my observing
        stategy for tonight. Tomorrow I have the JUNO flyby so means another
        nights tracking. After that I will probably go silent for a while
        again to fully recover :-)) I still have the new 10-inch reflector to
        get sorted out which, whilst not a difficult task, is going to take a
        considerable amount of time.
    (7) Dont see an OBJECT F in the new idents - maybe I missed it somewhere...
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
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