Observations 20 June 2009 ------------------------------------- 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 sensitivity 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)~135mm focal length telephoto f/2.8 lens fitted to 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. Image integrated for 2.56 seconds but exposure depends on sky background brightness. Field of view 2.6 x 2.0 degrees and showing about mag +12 stars in "real time". Used as a finder for the 4 inch refractor. Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal. (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters. using integration times of 5 sec min to 25 seconds maximum depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image processing done, but some done automatically in the auto reduction software.. Used with 4 inch SKYWATCHER refractor- model 1025 - fitted with home made focal reducer to give an f/2.56 system. Image scale is 6.56 arc sec/pixel and field of view 84.8 x 63.2 arc minutes. This telescope will replace the 6 inch reflector used previously as image quality is better, has a larger field of view, less surface area so less prone to wind shake, and in addition is at least as sensitive, if not superior to the 6 inch reflector. Shows 15th magnitude stars in real time with reasonably good conditions. 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, Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa FOR CLASSIFIED.TLE: ------------------------------- 22787 93 056A 0433 F 20090620174930000 56 15 1345387+081439 39 +110 05 22787 93 056A 0433 F 20090620175135000 56 15 1347419+081022 39 +110 05 22787 93 056A 0433 F 20090620175412000 56 15 1350184+080604 39 +110 05 90070 06 829A 0433 F 20090620171713400 56 15 0958524+151035 39 +050 05 90070 06 829A 0433 F 20090620171838000 56 15 1227206+143947 39 +030 05 90070 06 829A 0433 F 20090620172032800 56 15 1449051+104506 39 +040 05 90070 06 829A 0433 F 20090620172410500 56 15 1631590+081422 39 +050 05 90004 99 750A 0433 F 20090620181038800 56 15 1141052-583909 39 +060 05 90004 99 750A 0433 F 20090620181312900 56 15 1253446-454225 39 +065 05 90004 99 750A 0433 F 20090620181539600 56 15 1331372-332147 39 +070 05 90004 99 750A 0433 F 20090620182038500 56 15 1412541-133251 39 +075 05 90004 99 750A 0433 F 20090620182320200 56 15 1426265-054638 39 +075 05 21775 91 076A 0433 F 20090620184652000 56 15 1632147-355817 39 +080 05 21775 91 076A 0433 F 20090620184659700 56 15 1633016-351617 39 +080 05 Strays seen: ------------- COSMOS 778 steady 08419 75 103A 0433 F 20090620171157600 56 15 1128170-001412 39 +065 05 COSMOS 516 steady 06154 72 066A 0433 F 20090620174502800 56 15 1347495+082653 39 +043 05 Notes: ------ (1) The above were measured manually, and all except for #22787 were done with the telephoto lens. (2) Searched for UFO-F02 (#22787) and pretty sure I found it as nothing else predicted in the area. About 6 degrees away from predicted position and further west. The following were automatically processed by APEX-II and secured with the 4 inch refractor. FOR CLASSFD.TLE: ----------------------------- 06691 73 040A 0433 F 20090620170843500 16 15 1126218+000553 28 +129 05 06691 73 040A 0433 F 20090620171029500 16 15 1128046+000002 28 +132 03 06691 73 040A 0433 F 20090620171240500 16 15 1130137-000803 57 +130 04 28500 04 050A 0433 F 20090620173615500 16 15 1459517+185004 38 +131 05 28500 04 050A 0433 F 20090620174053500 16 15 1506025+185508 78 +133 10 28500 04 050A 0433 F 20090620174142500 16 15 1507052+185453 29 +126 29 28546 04 050B 0433 F 20090620172831500 16 15 1600394+181920 77 +122 06 28546 04 050B 0433 F 20090620172953500 16 15 1602068+182007 18 +124 07 28546 04 050B 0433 F 20090620173059500 16 15 1603163+182043 38 33490 09 001A 0433 F 20090620164840000 16 15 1359237+030939 18 +089 00 33490 09 001A 0433 F 20090620165032000 16 15 1401150+030832 28 +094 01 33490 09 001A 0433 F 20090620165201000 16 15 1402442+030740 28 +089 00 Strays seen: ---------------- COSMOS 475 05846 72 009A 0433 E 20090620162306500 16 15 1721135-331255 38 05846 72 009A 0433 E 20090620162309500 16 25 1723533-333681 49 INTERCOSMOS 25 21819 91 086A 0433 E 20090620162713500 16 15 1725294-330527 19 +069 03 21819 91 086A 0433 E 20090620162720500 16 15 1728315-335806 98 +076 03 BREEZE M DEBRI 34712 09 016C 0433 E 20090620162720500 16 15 1725056-332611 38 +097 01 34712 09 016C 0433 E 20090620162750500 16 15 1726234-333140 68 +095 07 Notes: ------- (1) #28500 (Del4Dem) rather difficult due to irregular long period variation, low elevation and bright city lights. (2) Most of the observing session was troubled by clouds which eventually forced me to shut down. Correction: ------------- In report for 17 June I stated that MERCURY 1 (#23223) was aka as 90016. This is incorrect - MERCURY 1 was 90054. As best my lousy memory can recall 90054 is not a frequent mover so the "mad driver" comment refers to 90016 which is MERCURY-2. Cheers Greg ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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