100 (or so) BRIGHTEST SATELLITES by Jay Respler
edited by Jeff Hunt (March 2002)
sorted by descending Inclination (Incl.)
*If your latitude is close to or below the inclination of a given sat, it will
be potentially visible at your location. Note: Standard Magnitude (StdMag)
is the potential brightness of the satellite at a range of 1000 km with an
illumination of 50%. Because of their potentially closer range, they will
normally appear brighter to the observer.
Sorted by decending Inclination
SatNo Common Name Desig. Period Ecc. *Incl.* RAAN
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10967 SEASAT 1 78064A 100.0 0.0003 108.0 212.3
4327 SERT 2 70009A 106.0 0.0004 99.1 266.7
733 THOR AGENA D R/B 64002A 100.7 0.0034 99.1 136.5
25400 SL-16 R/B 98043G 101.1 0.0009 98.7 349.3
25732 CSL-04 R/B 99025C 101.7 0.0038 98.6 307.1
6212 OPS 8180 (RADCAT) 72076A 96.4 0.0007 98.6 220.4
23560 ERS 2 95021A 100.5 0.0001 98.5 344.2
21574 ERS-1 91050A 100.4 0.0034 98.5 344.1
22830 SPOT 3 R/B 93061H 100.8 0.0010 98.3 277.1
21610 ERS-1 R/B 91050F 100.2 0.0004 98.2 240.3
24883 ORBVIEW 2 (SEASTAR) 97037A 98.8 0.0002 98.2 7.2
23561 ARIANE 4 R/B 95021B 100.4 0.0008 98.2 293.1
25860 OKEAN O 99039A 97.9 0.0001 97.9 323.3
25861 SL-16 R/B 99039B 97.6 0.0016 97.9 326.5
14208 COSMOS 1484 R/B 83075B 96.4 0.0032 97.9 252.7
11849 SL-3 R/B 80051B 95.4 0.0016 97.8 297.6
12585 METEOR PRIRODA 81065A 96.1 0.0023 97.8 314.4
19046 COSMOS 1939 R/B 88032B 96.7 0.0045 97.8 238.8
10114 METEOR 1-28 R/B 77057B 95.9 0.0018 97.8 150.8
23343 RESURS O1 R/B 94074B 97.8 0.0008 97.7 283.7
16111 COSMOS 1689 R/B 85090B 95.7 0.0048 97.7 244.0
14207 COSMOS 1484 83075A 95.1 0.0030 97.7 255.7
21867 JERS-1 92007A 92.6 0.0004 97.6 18.8
20323 COBE R/B 89089B 99.7 0.0077 97.1 339.9
5560 ASTEX 1 71089A 99.7 0.0016 92.7 158.0
8063 DELTA 1 R/B 75072B 112.5 0.1329 89.2 217.6
3669 ISIS 1 69009A 127.7 0.1719 88.4 63.0
12139 COSMOS 1238 R/B 81003B 102.8 0.0696 83.0 156.9
20775 COSMOS 2098 R/B 90078B 105.1 0.0845 82.9 225.8
21088 INFORMATOR 1 R/B 91006B 104.6 0.0022 82.9 325.8
7338 COSMOS 660 R/B 74044B 98.7 0.0456 82.9 145.1
12389 COSMOS 1263 R/B 81033B 100.7 0.0594 82.9 233.9
21938 COSMOS 2184 R/B 92020B 104.7 0.0030 82.9 301.9
21876 COSMOS 2180 R/B 92008B 104.7 0.0033 82.9 62.9
8745 COSMOS 807 R/B 76022B 97.3 0.0395 82.9 71.4
14484 COSMOS 1508 R/B 83111B 101.4 0.0644 82.9 103.3
20261 INTERCOSMOS 24 89080A 115.2 0.1228 82.6 117.3
20262 INTERCOSMOS 24 R/B 89080C 115.5 0.1248 82.6 127.3
21819 INTERCOSMOS 25 91086A 120.7 0.1575 82.6 246.6
21820 INTERCOSMOS 25 R/B 91086B 121.2 0.1599 82.6 252.5
14820 COSMOS 1544 R/B 84027B 97.3 0.0018 82.5 297.7
14372 COSMOS 1500 83099A 96.4 0.0015 82.5 147.0
18958 COSMOS 1933 88020A 96.6 0.0014 82.5 193.2
17567 COSMOS 1825 R/B 87024B 97.3 0.0020 82.5 162.0
19574 COSMOS 1975 R/B 88093B 97.3 0.0022 82.5 102.3
22626 COSMOS 2242 93024A 97.4 0.0023 82.5 20.9
14819 COSMOS 1544 84027A 96.3 0.0017 82.5 239.6
15945 COSMOS 1674 R/B 85069B 97.3 0.0022 82.5 99.1
16496 COSMOS 1726 R/B 86006B 97.3 0.0019 82.5 338.4
22286 COSMOS 2228 92094A 97.4 0.0024 82.5 352.2
17295 COSMOS 1812 87003A 96.5 0.0014 82.5 297.4
14699 COSMOS 1536 84013A 96.6 0.0019 82.5 74.1
19210 COSMOS 1953 88050A 96.7 0.0019 82.5 133.4
11267 COSMOS 1076 R/B 79011B 97.0 0.0018 82.5 235.8
21397 OKEAN 3 91039A 97.2 0.0019 82.5 149.8
16882 COSMOS 1766 R/B 86055B 97.3 0.0020 82.5 197.3
19573 COSMOS 1975 88093A 96.7 0.0019 82.5 72.9
20511 OKEAN 2 R/B 90018B 97.5 0.0018 82.5 250.9
11672 COSMOS 1151 R/B 80005B 97.0 0.0016 82.5 85.0
18749 COSMOS 1908 R/B 88001B 97.3 0.0022 82.5 274.1
21422 COSMOS 2151 91042A 97.2 0.0016 82.5 274.8
20466 COSMOS 2058 R/B 90010B 97.4 0.0023 82.5 334.2
17912 SL-14 R/B 87038B 97.3 0.0023 82.5 25.7
18153 COSMOS 1862 R/B 87055B 97.3 0.0021 82.5 84.0
20465 COSMOS 2058 90010A 97.0 0.0021 82.5 317.4
20967 COSMOS 2106 R/B 90104B 93.7 0.0011 82.5 353.0
21423 COSMOS 2151 R/B 91042B 97.5 0.0018 82.5 277.7
16792 SL-14 R/B 86046B 97.3 0.0028 82.5 194.1
26873 CORONAS F 01032A 94.7 0.0034 82.5 38.7
26874 SL-14 R/B 01032B 94.7 0.0034 82.5 38.0
11332 SL-3 R/B 79032B 94.7 0.0040 81.2 140.0
4849 METEOR 1-7 71003A 94.6 0.0008 81.2 50.4
5118 COSMOS 405 R/B 71028B 96.4 0.0061 81.2 171.0
11156 COSMOS 1063 R/B 78117B 93.6 0.0019 81.2 120.9
12465 COSMOS 1271 R/B 81046B 96.2 0.0043 81.2 65.7
11933 COSMOS 1206 R/B 80069B 95.2 0.0039 81.2 112.0
10861 SL-3 R/B 78045B 95.1 0.0034 81.2 181.1
13068 COSMOS 1340 R/B 82013B 96.4 0.0030 81.2 236.5
8128 COSMOS 756 R/B 75076B 87.3 0.0013 81.2 54.1
4393 METEOR 1-4 70037A 94.6 0.0022 81.2 332.5
13154 COSMOS 1356 R/B 82039B 96.8 0.0051 81.2 182.6
11155 COSMOS 1063 78117A 91.7 0.0001 81.2 62.2
10363 COSMOS 955 R/B 77091B 91.3 0.0013 81.2 173.9
12904 COSMOS 1315 R/B 81103B 96.5 0.0038 81.2 290.9
4119 METEOR 1-2 69084A 93.7 0.0017 81.2 338.5
4814 COSMOS 389 R/B 70113B 95.9 0.0052 81.2 238.3
3835 METEOR 1-1 69029A 95.0 0.0013 81.2 195.4
13403 COSMOS 1400 R/B 82079B 96.5 0.0044 81.2 297.5
11056 COSMOS 1043 R/B 78094B 92.2 0.0012 81.2 137.7
13402 COSMOS 1400 82079A 95.6 0.0005 81.2 207.1
4813 COSMOS 389 70113A 94.5 0.0015 81.1 119.8
5328 METEOR 1-9 R/B 71059B 89.9 0.0007 81.1 99.0
10561 COSMOS 975 78004A 87.3 0.0006 81.1 229.4
13819 SL-3 R/B 83010B 96.2 0.0046 81.1 298.3
11574 COSMOS 1140 R/B 79089B 100.1 0.0017 74.1 2.0
8459 SL-8 R/B 75112B 100.4 0.0016 74.1 196.1
19257 COSMOS 1954 R/B 88053B 100.3 0.0021 74.0 315.7
15483 SL-8 R/B 85006B 100.4 0.0019 74.0 78.7
3230 COSMOS 220 R/B 68040B 97.4 0.0038 74.0 120.9
2802 COSMOS 158 R/B 67045B 99.9 0.0069 74.0 35.7
7004 AUREOLE 2 R/B 73107B 100.4 0.0565 74.0 262.4
11285 INTERCOSMOS 19 79020A 94.1 0.0096 74.0 319.2
5282 COSMOS 426 R/B 71052B 96.3 0.0349 73.9 279.7
11286 INTERCOSMOS 19 R/B 79020B 94.7 0.0128 73.9 23.4
5730 AUREOLE 1 R/B 71119B 106.2 0.0891 73.9 224.2
19764 COSMOS 1985 DEB 88113H 92.2 0.0004 73.5 31.5
20390 COSMOS 2053 R/B 89100B 93.1 0.0005 73.5 93.5
15772 COSMOS 1656 R/B(2) 85042D 101.4 0.0037 71.1 202.5
23087 COSMOS 2278 94023A 101.9 0.0007 71.0 110.0
23705 SL-16 R/B 95058B 101.8 0.0011 71.0 190.9
22285 COSMOS 2227 R/B 92093B 101.8 0.0006 71.0 12.5
19120 COSMOS 1943 R/B 88039B 101.5 0.0022 71.0 208.5
25407 SL-16 R/B 98045B 101.8 0.0009 71.0 223.7
17590 COSMOS 1833 R/B 87027B 101.7 0.0004 71.0 357.3
22566 COSMOS 2237 R/B 93016B 101.8 0.0013 71.0 234.8
20625 COSMOS 2082 R/B 90046B 101.8 0.0015 71.0 317.2
16182 COSMOS 1697 R/B 85097B 101.7 0.0009 71.0 204.3
22220 COSMOS 2219 R/B 92076B 101.7 0.0012 71.0 260.9
19650 COSMOS 1980 R/B 88102B 101.7 0.0016 71.0 204.4
23088 COSMOS 2278 R/B 94023B 101.8 0.0004 71.0 90.4
22803 COSMOS 2263 R/B 93059B 101.7 0.0016 71.0 104.0
23405 COSMOS 2297 R/B 94077B 101.8 0.0002 71.0 43.5
24298 SL-16 R/B 96051B 102.0 0.0014 70.9 259.7
17589 COSMOS 1833 87027A 101.9 0.0005 70.9 9.6
17973 COSMOS 1844 87041A 101.9 0.0029 70.9 129.1
26775 COSMOS 2377 01022A 89.7 0.0104 67.1 93.4
877 SL-3 R/B 64053B 98.9 0.0079 65.1 118.5
18187 COSMOS 1867 87060A 100.7 0.0015 65.0 93.3
12054 COSMOS 1220 80089A 96.5 0.0127 65.0 319.9
1843 COSMOS 100 65106A 92.4 0.0034 64.9 307.0
3019 COSMOS 185 R/B 67104B 93.2 0.0092 64.0 106.2
20663 COSMOS 2084 90055A 97.3 0.0051 62.8 142.1
20666 COSMOS 2084 R/B(2) 90055D 97.2 0.0044 62.8 96.1
25018 TITAN IV R/B 97064B 93.1 0.0085 57.0 331.0
15354 ERBS 84108B 96.1 0.0008 57.0 215.3
21701 UARS 91063B 96.0 0.0006 57.0 287.5
25887 DELTA R/B(1) 99043E 96.9 0.0443 52.3 290.5
6073 COSMOS 482 DEB 72023E 141.9 0.2685 52.1 204.5
25544 ISS (ZARYA) 98067A 92.3 0.0008 51.6 292.2
25723 SL-08 R/B 99022C 95.8 0.0034 48.4 126.5
20453 DELTA 2 R/B(1) 90008B 100.0 0.0454 35.6 148.9
6155 ATLAS CENTAUR R/B 72065B 98.4 0.0045 35.0 155.4
6153 OAO 3 (COPERNICUS) 72065A 99.0 0.0007 35.0 193.0
3597 OAO 2 68110A 99.8 0.0006 35.0 290.6
694 ATLAS CENTAUR 2 63047A 103.8 0.0649 30.4 123.4
20580 HST 90037B 96.3 0.0012 28.5 95.9
Back to "Some Brighter Satellites & Resources"
Links: to the VSO Home Page, observing guide, satellite predictions