geosynchronous flasher

Tony Beresford (starman@camtech.net.au)
Mon, 06 Apr 1998 12:15:06 +0900

After looking for 3 days saw it tonite from 1234UT . 
Date is April 5 UTC.
At 12 43m 24secUT at RA 11h 12.5m , Dec +8.6degrees
At 12 51m 44secUT ar RA 11h 39.5 , Dec +7.5 d
At 13  22 05sec UT   RA 11h 46.8min Dec +6.25d
At 13  39  42secUT   RA 12h 00.2min Dec +4.4d
Dec drift 4.55 degrees per hour
Not seen at when restarted observing at 1400UT [ should be in eclipse]
The Dec drift from trakstar for 6913B is 4.25 d/hour.
>From (34.97S, 138.6317E )

I am in some doubt about identification as this was some 11min in RA West, 
and 1.2 degrees N of the 6913B ephemeris. Can somebody suggest the
most accurate programme to use with such high satellites? The
orbital elements for 6913B are now 19 days old, and I am uncetain
of their validity. Using my fix  April 2, it is possible to say
that the period is such that the object is at same
RA 4minutes and 15 seconds earlier each day. This gives a slow
eastward drift of say 0.1 degrees longitude per day. The declination
drift means the inclination has to be similar or even a little
bigger than 6913B's.
The flash periodis definitely decreasing from 19.699 on march 30.57 , to 19.579 on April 5.54

I also saw another flasher, only reaching mag 6 with a period round
30 seconds and a double peak about 0.5 secs apart, but observed
the original object.
Tony Beresford