OBSERVED UNIDENTIFIED G.T.O.

Jay Respler (jrespler@injersey.com)
Tue, 15 Apr 1997 02:01:47 -0400 (EDT)

Thanks to Alan, Russell and Pierre for these elements:

From: Alan Pickup <alan@wingar.demon.co.uk>
Eberst <eberst@cableinet.co.uk> writes
>Elements by Pierre for unidentified Geostationary Transfer orbit object:
>Standard mag about +3

Here are the elements converted to tle format - the perigee looks rather
low...
UnID GTO object                                  17713 x 74 km
1 99000U 99 000 A 97102.73314920  .00507116  00000-0  24797-4 0    00
2 99000  26.5285  71.1780 5774835 336.6701   5.3747  4.60046890    00


OBSERVATIONS:
   74.23552  40.28089     129.    JAY RESPLER
St yr mo dy hr mn  sec RaH min    dec  epch Sat-Name
 5 97 04 15  3 36 10.0  11 45.2  15.60 1950 UnID GTO obj
 5 97 04 15  3 53 53.0  13 02.7  13.47 1950 UnID GTO obj
 5 97 04 15  4 04 06.5  13 30.3  12.12 1950 UnID GTO obj


PREDICTIONS:
***  1997 Apr  14  Mon evening  *** Times are PM EDT  ***  2024  529 QUICKSAT
 H  M  S Tim Azi ElC Dir  Mag Dys F  Hgt Shd  Rng  R A  Dec RCS  Name
11 37 37 1.0 193 65C 278 25.1   2 2 58483865 6082 1148 15.5     UnID GTO objec

   40.283  74.233  129.      JAY RESPLER           1950 13.0  8  HIGHFLY
*** 1997 Apr 14/15   Mon evening/Tue morning  *** Times are EDT
Hrs Min  Alt Azi  Mag    Hgt    R  A    Dec  Range

 99000 UnID GTO obje              M 3.5 ELDY  3 M2 5071  << OBS. MAG.>>
 11  37   65 195  8.6   5813  11 44.7  15.6   6048          7.9
 11  55   62 163  9.1   7540  13   .6  13.7   7842          8.0
 12   5   60 155  9.3   8331  13 29.8  12.1   8710          8.8
 
This gives average InMag of 2.7
1st 2 obs were with a scope. Last obs through binoculars.

Jay Respler
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                JRespler@InJersey.com
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                Freehold,  New Jersey