Optical 05 Sept 2008

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Sun Sep 07 2008 - 09:00:08 UTC

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    Observations 05 Sept 2008
    ----------------------------------
    
    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 135mm focal length f/2.8 lens,integrating for 128 frames
    which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum
    per image. Field of view 2.7 x 2.1 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:
    ------------------------
    20355 89 090B   0433 F 20080905172252000 56 15 2240331-084526 39  +080 05
    20355 89 090B   0433 F 20080905172613000 56 15 2244117-084352 39  +080 05
    23967 96 042A   0433 F 20080905184840000 56 15 2258113+051013 39  +119 05
    23967 96 042A   0433 F 20080905185005000 56 15 2259374+051105 39  +119 05
    27691 03 008A   0433 F 20080905193506000 56 15 2256227+051234 39  +093 05
    27691 03 008A   0433 F 20080905193631000 56 15 2257454+051210 39  +117 05
    
    Strays seen:
    ------------
    INTELSAT 904 geostationary
    27380 02 007A   0433 F 20080905193506000 56 15 2255203+051017 39  +090 05
    27380 02 007A   0433 F 20080905193631000 56 15 2256423+050911 39  +105 05
    COSMOS 2371 geostationary
    26394 00 036A   0433 F 20080905173901000 56 15 2224191-010729 39  +085 05
    ARIANE 5 R/B at apogee - range 39390 kms
    32295 07 056C   0433 F 20080905173901000 56 15 2226298-004835 39  +095 05
    
    
    Notes:
    ------
    
    (1) Little confusion over which is which - DSCS 3-13 (#27691) is very
        close to INTELSAT 904 (#27380) so did accurate astrometry to decide
        which is which. As a result of this please SWOP the entries for shadow
        entry posted yesterday - DSCS 3-13 enterered first , followed by
        Intelsat 904. The reason for somewhat different magnitudes, seperated
        by about 90 seconds, is because satellites were entering eclipse.
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
    
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