I am requesting assistance in identifying opportunities to observe Mir (and
the shuttle orbiters) pass in front of the Sun and Moon. I'm not sure this
can be done. If it can be done, I'm not sure what software I'd need to
support a search. I have a small machine. Think of it as an 8088 laptop
(actually it's a V20/8087 with almost 5 MB of internal storage). Below are a
couple of excerpts from a (now obviously) primitive attempt for what looks
like a near miss.
I guess my big question is: What is ICE telling me? Should I be using
Apparent or Astrometric Positions for the Sun? Are they for equinox J2000.0
(which is what I understand the TrakSat output is)?
I'm not worried about TrakSat fouling up the sign for declinations between -1
and 0. I see what is happening there and can eyeball it.
Your comments about software and procedures would be appreciated.
(What the world needs most is a server which would send e-mail to observers in
advance of all opportunities). 8->
Thanks.
Cheers.
---
Astrometric Places of SUN
Date Time RA Dec Dist
Julian Date Year Mon Da h m s h m s x ' " AU
2449790.45625 1995 Mar 13 22 57 00 23 34 10.276 - 2 47 29.53 .9940298
2449790.45694 1995 Mar 13 22 58 00 23 34 10.428 - 2 47 28.54 .9940300
Apparent Places of SUN
Date Time RA Dec Dist
Julian Date Year Mon Da h m s h m s x ' " AU
2449790.45625 1995 Mar 13 22 57 00 23 33 54.883 - 2 49 08.07 .9940298
2449790.45694 1995 Mar 13 22 58 00 23 33 55.036 - 2 49 07.09 .9940300
---
TRAKSAT Version 2.80
Tracking Station: NISSEN, OH
[ Line Of Sight (LOS) Visibility ]
Satellite: Mir Complex
Satellite Data Set:
1 16609U 86017 A 95 67.86666546 .00006921 00000-0 90668-4 0 9629
2 16609 51.6474 300.4481 0004353 212.3501 147.7219 15.57908368517321
Date Time (UTC) Azim Elev Range Ra Dec Alt V
HR:MN:Sec Deg Deg Km HH:MM:SS DD:MM:SS Km
-- Rev # 51811 --
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:42.0 265.40 6.83 1650.31 23:27:32 +01:06:27 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:43.0 265.19 6.88 1646.41 23:28:16 +00:58:58 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:44.0 264.97 6.93 1642.53 23:29:00 +00:51:26 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:45.0 264.75 6.99 1638.67 23:29:44 +00:43:52 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:46.0 264.54 7.04 1634.84 23:30:29 +00:36:14 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:47.0 264.32 7.09 1631.03 23:31:13 +00:28:34 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:48.0 264.10 7.14 1627.23 23:31:58 +00:20:51 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:49.0 263.88 7.19 1623.47 23:32:43 +00:13:05 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:50.0 263.66 7.24 1619.72 23:33:28 +00:05:16 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:51.0 263.44 7.29 1616.00 23:34:13 +00:02:36 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:52.0 263.21 7.34 1612.29 23:34:59 +00:10:31 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:53.0 262.99 7.39 1608.62 23:35:44 +00:18:28 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:54.0 262.76 7.44 1604.96 23:36:30 +00:26:28 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:55.0 262.54 7.49 1601.33 23:37:16 +00:34:32 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:56.0 262.31 7.54 1597.72 23:38:02 +00:42:38 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:57.0 262.08 7.58 1594.14 23:38:48 +00:50:47 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:58.0 261.85 7.63 1590.58 23:39:34 +00:58:59 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:57:59.0 261.62 7.68 1587.04 23:40:21 -01:07:13 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:00.0 261.39 7.73 1583.53 23:41:07 -01:15:31 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:01.0 261.16 7.78 1580.04 23:41:54 -01:23:51 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:02.0 260.92 7.83 1576.57 23:42:41 -01:32:15 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:03.0 260.69 7.88 1573.13 23:43:28 -01:40:41 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:04.0 260.45 7.92 1569.72 23:44:15 -01:49:10 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:05.0 260.21 7.97 1566.33 23:45:03 -01:57:41 397 Y
Mon 13Mar95 22:58:06.0 259.97 8.02 1562.96 23:45:50 -02:06:16 397 Y
Received on Mon Mar 13 1995 - 16:30:25 UTC
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