Observations 12 Feb 2008:
-------------------------------
Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
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 200mm focal length f/2.5 lens,integrating for 128 frames
which is equivalent to an exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum per image.
Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude 33.94058 deg S,
Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa
For CLASSFIED.TLE:
--------------------------
90013 03 564A 0433 G 20080212182050800 56 15 0658470+134201 39 +080 05
90013 03 564A 0433 G 20080212182452700 56 15 0702520+134201 39 +080 05
27168 02 001A 0433 G 20080212182822000 56 15 0602550+071233 39 +090 05
27168 02 001A 0433 G 20080212183238100 56 15 0607110+071326 39 +090 05
90016 03 766A 0433 G 20080212184114400 56 15 0210190+080152 39 +110 05
90016 03 766A 0433 G 20080212184755700 56 15 0216220+081413 39 +110 05
90048 05 605B 0433 G 20080212185212900 56 15 0744210+111348 39 +110 05
90048 05 605B 0433 G 20080212185844500 56 15 0748570+112054 39 +110 05
90049 05 605C 0433 G 20080212191101500 56 15 0849330+051001 39 +105 05
90049 05 605C 0433 G 20080212191732600 56 15 0856050+051957 39 +105 05
90031 05 546A 0433 G 20080212191849100 56 15 0948340+081419 39 +110 05
90031 05 546A 0433 G 20080212192542200 56 15 0955320+081623 39 +110 05
90031 05 546A 0433 G 20080212210137700 56 15 1131500+082600 39 +110 05
90042 05 828A 0433 G 20080212195459700 56 15 0930040+090151 39 +110 05
90042 05 828A 0433 G 20080212200137500 56 15 0936420+090551 39 +110 05
90038 05 638B 0433 G 20080212200335300 56 15 1043020+045815 39 +110 05
90038 05 638B 0433 G 20080212200852100 56 15 1048170+045431 39 +110 05
90038 05 638B 0433 G 20080212200928000 56 15 1048550+045401 39 +110 05
90036 05 629A 0433 G 20080212201044600 56 15 1054280+061853 39 +115 05
90036 05 629A 0433 G 20080212201639900 56 15 1100230+061712 39 +115 05
90035 05 625A 0433 G 20080212201754500 56 15 1007250+051909 39 +110 05
90035 05 625A 0433 G 20080212202146200 56 15 1011190+051848 39 +110 05
90034 05 592A 0433 G 20080212202233800 56 15 0752330+110851 39 +115 05
90034 05 592A 0433 G 20080212202905600 56 15 0759070+111237 39 +115 05
90023 04 776A 0433 G 20080212210442000 56 15 0331420-005158 39 +115 05
90023 04 776A 0433 G 20080212211100300 56 15 0338040-005018 39 +115 05
90054 95 586A 0433 G 20080212220430100 56 15 0522420+062851 39 +100 05
90054 95 586A 0433 G 20080212220952200 56 15 0528020+063600 39 +100 05
90053 05 551A 0433 G 20080212221122800 56 15 0642580+124400 39 +105 05
90053 05 551A 0433 G 20080212221549000 56 15 0646300+124129 39 +105 05
90043 05 835A 0433 G 20080212221703300 56 15 0650080+073126 39 +105 05
90043 05 835A 0433 G 20080212221944500 56 15 0652500+073136 39 +105 05
Strays seen:
----------------
NOAA 6 variable
11416 79 057A 0433 G 20080212184028000 56 15 0214430+075809 39 +052 05
Cosmos 2301 variable
23443 94 086C 0433 G 20080212190516200 56 15 0856210+083732 39 +070 05
Cosmos 2246
22647 93 030B 0433 G 20080212191101500 56 15 0846380+051925 39 +075 05
NSS703 geostationary
23305 94 064A 0433 G 20080212191101500 56 15 0847140+051856 39 +095 05
Ariane 44 LP debri
19219 88 051E 0433 G 20080212192242100 56 15 0951220+074743 39 +105 05
SL-8 rocket body steady
32053 07 038B 0433 G 20080212193311400 56 15 0720050+113120 39 +025 05
Cosmos 1550
14965 84 043A 0433 G 20080212194216700 56 15 0726160+111408 39 +065 05
Titan 3C transtage
19518 65 108Q 0433 G 20080212194356600 56 15 0731080+112544 39 +100 05
Atlas Centaur rocket range 30085 kms - regular flasher
10976 78 068B 0433 G 20080212194356600 56 15 0730230+121255 39 +095 05
10976 78 068B 0433 G 20080212195228600 56 15 0736450+114248 39 +095 05
DASH/VEP 3 variable
27368 02 003B 0433 G 20080212194640400 56 15 0732400+122143 39 +040 05
Intelsat 904 geostationary
27380 02 007A 0433 G 20080212201754500 56 15 1006580+051504 39 +110 05
27380 02 007A 0433 G 20080212202146200 56 15 1010520+051456 39 +110 05
CZ-3 Rocket body range 31800 kms
29517 06 048B 0433 G 20080212210854900 56 15 0335250-002409 39 +100 05
Ariane 2 rocket body range 6800 kms variable
19773 89 006B 0433 G 20080212212641200 56 15 0544460+210940 39 +090 05
SL-6 rocket body 2
21709 91 065D 0433 G 20080212215232900 56 15 1324060-475600 39 +070 05
Breeze-M rocket body range 23400 kms
31864 07 032C 0433 G 20080212220929400 56 15 0529320+064921 39 +110 05
Notes:
-------
(1) First use of the new NIKKON lens - very pleased with results. The
field of view is much more linear than my previous lens which had
some field curvature. Estimate I gained about 1 magnitude over the
previous lens and was able to see all the above satellites in real
time on the monitor which made it much easier finding them.
The lens has one bad point - on very bright stars I get an internal
reflection of the star which looks like a satellite and moves up the
field of view as the star moves down - had me fooled twice before I
realised what was going on.
(2) Had a look at some pretty sights - having never seen the Horsehead
nebula before this was my second target - had no trouble seeing the
Horsehead nebula and this was under the bright city lit sky of Cape
Town.
(3) I still want to try the new lens at other settings - it is a
telephoto lens with focus 80 to 200 mm and f/2.8 max ( f/22 min) at
ALL focal lengths which is not normal for most telephotos, but then
this lens has 18 elements inside and cost an arm and a leg!
(4) Was unable to find #90055 -- probably moved station some time ago.
Was unable to find #90033 -- this is a DSP satellite and it recently
started drifting westward.
Also unable to find #90074 -- very old elements.
Cheers
Greg
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