High-priority objects of the Belgian Working Group Satellites ------------------------------------------------------------- The Belgian Working Group Satellites has been active in collecting flash period measurements since 1987. Our program is subdivided into several categories : b flashing object for beginners d difficult to measure S steady object, potentially flashing in the future ? flash period is unknown or uncertain - long flash period (>40 s) ! top-priority object regular object x additional code for DRA project Our full program can be obtained at the archive, by sending a message with Subject: archive get program/program.* to SeeSat-L-request@iris01.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de Here is an overview of the object which are 'top-priority', i.e. objects of which we suspect that the flash period is changing in an atypical way. Usually this means the rocket's rotation around its own axis is accelerating, so that the flash period becomes shorter. This behaviour is not fully understood, so detailed observations are very much needed. We always welcome new observers. For more details on how to report/perform flash period measurements, contact me or Tristan Cools (addresses below), or check out our Web-pages at this URL: http://www.rzg.mpg.de/bwgs/bwgs.html The following format is used : LINE 1 : COSPAR-ID, priority code, number of observations, NORAD-number, name of satellite, remark on reason for top-priority. LINE 2,3,4 : most recent observations in this format : Date, Initials of observer, flash period in seconds, remarks about magnitude and appearance. 65- 8 A ! 37 1001/Transtage 3,Titan 3A: acceleration halted ? 95-02-02 MM 4.93 5.5-7, fl to 5 95-02-10 MM 4.88 95-09-13 JEV 4.91 74- 89 A ! 1 7529/NOAA 4: only one observation; to be confirmed 94-01-03 RE 6 78-109 J ! 242 11136/C1 Kosmos 1051-1058: newest J-object accelerator ? 94-12-27 MM 150 5-7.5 95-01-04 LB 120 lp >120, mag 5->in 95-07-24 RO 17.2 +/-0.4 DBLE MAX 79- 30 B ! 138 11327/C1 Kosmos 1092: going down again ? 95-07-24 WV 5.77 95-08-16 JEV 6.81 95-08-20 JEV 6.25 81-116 J ! 530 12983/C1 Kosmos 1320-1327: accelerating ? 95-07-15 RO 21.0 +/-0.3 MAG 7 TO IN 95-08-02 LB almost S, mag 6 95-08-08 LB 16.08 AA, mag 4->inv 84-109 B ! 133x 15360/C1 Kosmos 1605: global decrease; to be followed 95-06-27 DC 11.90 A'fA'->AA, mag 5-> 95-07-02 WN 6.05 C* 1605 r, some ir 95-07-16 TC 12.6 FF, mag +4 85- 11 B ! 107 15506/C1 Kosmos 1627: probably going down 95-04-02 BD 41.5 95-05-01 RO 48 mag 7 to 10 95-08-22 JEV 40.3 85-116 B ! 109 16369/C1 Kosmos 1709: last obs S 94-12-01 MM 6, S 70 sec 95-02-21 LB 7.70 AA, mag 4->5 95-07-24 KD S 86- 2 J ! 30 16457/C1 Kosmos 1716-1723: to be followed closely 95-02-24 MM 8-inv, slow var 95-05-02 RO 37 mag 8 to 10 95-05-04 PW steady 87- 49 B ! 16 18096/C1 Kosmos 1850: accelerated acc to BD, MM and RO 95-07-22 WV 21 95-07-23 KD 21 95-07-25 WV S, mag +6 87- 57 B ! 53 18161/C1 K1864: accelerated 95-07-21 RO 7.62 +/-0.05 CPLEX 95-07-23 WV 7.53 95-07-24 WV 7.61 87- 98 B ! 31 18586/C1 Kosmos 1898: still going down ? 95-04-02 BD 32.5 4.5-6.0 95-07-02 RE 20 95-09-15 JEV 26.5 broad max; min 88- 16 J ! 235 18945/C1 Kosmos 1924-1931: accelerating ? 95-04-14 MM S, 5.5 95-05-23 RO 42 ? mag 5 95-05-23 RO 42 ? mag 5 89- 28 B ! 99 19922/C1 Kosmos 2016: dtm 95-05-21 FD 31.3 95-06-26 DC 28 MM, mag 5->7 95-08-23 WN 39 C* 2016 r, F'F' 90- 4 B ! 196 20433/C1 Kosmos 2056: accelerated again, seen by BD 95-07-24 WV 7.73 95-07-25 KD S 95-07-25 MR S 90-111 B ! 28 21015/C1 Kosmos 2112: flash period is rising again 95-05-06 PW 8.33 95-05-06 PW 8.33 95-09-16 JEV 10.83 91- 9 J ! 469 21108/C1 Kosmos 2125-2132 debris: acceleration or scatter ? 95-04-02 LB 45.3 Aa, mag 4(5)->inv 95-04-08 LB 24.0 aA, mag 5(4)->inv 95-08-19 LB 23.23 AA, mag 5->inv 91- 13 B ! 190 21131/C1 Kosmos 2135: going down ? to be checked 95-07-31 LB 36.2 AA, mag 4->7 95-08-08 LB 18.0 Ff, mag 4(5)->inv 95-08-16 TC 27.8 AA, mag max +5 92- 8 B ! 108x 21876/C1 Kosmos 2180: still going down ! 95-08-02 LB 8.59 AA, mag 5->7 95-08-23 WN 9.11 C* 2180 r, F'f'F' 95-08-28 JEV 17.4 92- 12 B ! 93 21903/C1 Kosmos 2181: short period 95-05-06 RO 11 very complex 95-05-21 LB 3.16 FF, mag 4->6 95-05-21 LB 3.16 FF, mag 4->6 92- 20 B ! 157 21938/C1 Kosmos 2184: probably going down 95-05-07 BD 42 +4.5-inv 95-05-27 RO 44 mag 6 to 9 95-05-27 RO 44 mag 6 to 9 Finally an overview of our observers of September 1995 : JEV: Jim Varney, Sacramento, California, USA JDW: Jean De Weerdt, Gistel, Belgium JHR: Jay Respler, New Jersey, USA JVS: Jan Van Steelandt, Gistel, Belgium KD: Kurt Dequick, Bredene, Belgium KJ: Kurt Jonckheere, Oostende, Belgium LB: Leo Barhorst, Alkmaar, The Netherlands MR: Mike Rosseel, Belgium Total number of observations: 113 Cheers, Bart De Pontieu (bdp@mpe.mpe-garching.mpg.de) & Tristan Cools (tcools@nic.INbe.net)