Retraction of Feb 4 observation of Molniya 3-16
Mike McCants (mikem@fc.net)
Thu, 5 Feb 1998 11:49:29 -0600 (CST)
"The sky is filled with satellites." Me
The Molniya 2-10 rocket, object 74 56D, happened along about
4 or 5 minutes ahead of Molniya 3-16 on a very similar course.
Molniya 2-10 Rk
1 07382U 74056D 98033.06458489 -.00000119 00000-0 -36292-2 0 1033
2 07382 63.0258 94.6144 6570961 296.4326 11.8416 2.91049490 64133
Molniya 2-10 Rk 1998 FEB 4
time alt azi R.A. dec range hgt
0332:00 44 55 9 37.7 44.89 6685 5903
0334:00 43 53 9 45.3 46.59 6990 6163
0336:00 42 51 9 52.9 48.11 7292 6420
0338:00 42 49 10 0.4 49.48 7589 6672
0340:00 41 47 10 7.9 50.72 7883 6921
0342:00 40 46 10 15.3 51.84 8172 7166
0344:00 39 45 10 22.7 52.86 8456 7407
A retrospective Molniya 3-16 prediction:
time alt azi R.A. dec range hgt
0336:00 48 54 9 23.0 45.54 4904 4308
0338:00 46 51 9 36.6 47.76 5118 4451
0340:00 43 49 9 50.5 49.71 5329 4587
0342:00 41 47 10 4.7 51.41 5536 4717
0344:00 40 45 10 19.3 52.88 5738 4840
The actual predicted position I was using was:
0328:00 44 55 9 36.9 45.01
I would have looked farther west to compensate for the Earth's
rotation, so I might have seen the Molniya if the rocket
had not happened along.
If I had watched the rocket until 3:44, the Molniya would have
caught up with it and been only about 1/2 degree to the west.
"If only ..." Anonymous
Mike McCants