Observations 09 Aug 2005:
--------------------------------
Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
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.
Used with 145mm focal length f/2.5 lens. Integrated for 64 frames
so equivalent exposure is 1.28 seconds.
Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude 33.94058 deg S,
Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa
Another UNKNOWN ? :
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91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173152200 56 15 2037294-315912 39 +075 05
91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173153400 56 15 2038105-320450 39 +075 05
91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173154700 56 15 2038599-321211 39 +075 05
91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173156000 56 15 2039442-321823 39 +075 05
91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173157300 56 15 2040353-322601 39 +075 05
91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173158500 56 15 2041233-323214 39 +075 05
91039 05 221LEO 0433 E 20050809173159900 56 15 2042082-323820 39 +075 05
Notes:
--------
(1) Cannot find a match for this in my element database updated last
night. Looks like the inclination is about 62.5 degrees and RA
Node about 53 degrees. Height of satellite when seen was about 1500
kilometres so the standard magnitude works out at around +6.8
It was brighter than #91037 which still remains unidentified but
is not the same object as the RA Node is considerably different.
(I could be talking rubbish here so open to correction :-))
(2) Still busy measuring - looks like about 60 satellites tracked, some
of which are strays.
(3) The memorable event of the evening was the pass of TIPS - the
brightest Ive ever seen it and the overall impression was that the
tether was visible the entire pass and never fainter than mag +7.5
and brightest at +5.0! This was a zenith pass with the satellite
at perigee.
(4) I used the MINTRON camera with the settings previously mentioned,
ie ELC at max and AGC at max. However, whilst this produces pretty
pictures when the sky background is reasonably dark, the image
becomes pretty poor/useless at low elevations with a bright sky
background, so next time will have to try different settings as
some of the interesting geostationary satellites are low down in
my sky.
(5) I hope to report the remaining observations tomorrow when
finished measuring - still have 21+ to measure.
Cheers
Greg
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