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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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