Optical 25 August 2008 Part 2

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Wed Aug 27 2008 - 09:25:08 UTC

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    Observations 25 August 2008 Part 2
    -----------------------------------------
    
    Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
    Camera mount now carries two systems that can be operated
    together as two totally different sytems and computers used.
    Generally the DSI Pro II camera will be used for high altitude
    slow moving objects. Tests seem to indicate that its sesnitivity
    is comparable to the MINTRON ( possibly better) but as its not
    possible (?) to time stamp to better than 1 second accuracy the
    time resolution is not good enough for LEO objects.
    
    (1) 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 135mm focal length f/2.8 lens,integrating for 128 frames
    which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum
    per image. Field of view 2.7 x 2.1 degrees.
    Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal.
    
    (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters.
    using integration times of 20 sec min to 60 seconds maximum
    depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image
    processing done but dark field applied.
    Used with 200mm focal length f/2.8 Nikkon telephoto lens,
    field of view 1.88 x 1.40 degrees. Can get to magnitude 13
    or so in less than 20 seconds exposure.
    Exposure time to nearest second inserted into image FITS header
    from PC clock which is automatically checked every minute against
    GPS signal.
    
    Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude  33.94058 deg S,
    Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa
    
    
    For CLASSFD.TLE:
    -----------------------
    
    32378 05 041B   0433 F 20080825195600900 56 15 1732333+263923 39  +085 05
    32378 05 041B   0433 F 20080825200048900 56 15 1752029+310235 39  +090 05
    32378 05 041B   0433 F 20080825200716800 56 15 1812132+353446 39  +093 05
    96012 96 512A   0433 F 20080825191143000 56 15 2050102+060801 39  +120 05
    96012 96 512A   0433 F 20080825191714000 56 15 2054474+060308 39  +110 05
    90005 99 804A   0433 F 20080825202123000 56 15 0035331+041439 39  +125 05
    90005 99 804A   0433 F 20080825202826000 56 15 0042229+043005 39  +125 05
    96070 96 570A   0433 F 20080825205223000 56 15 2318311+063613 39  +125 05
    96070 96 570A   0433 F 20080825205719000 56 15 2322568+063416 39  +125 05
    96078 96 578A   0433 F 20080825210201000 56 15 2327100-050229 39  +135 05
    96078 96 578A   0433 F 20080825210541000 56 15 2330538-045646 39  +135 05
    
    Strays seen:
    --------------
    LEASAT 3 PKM  range 14100 kms
    16229 85 028E   0433 F 20080825192011000 56 15 1735333+115548 39  +085 05
    COSMOS 2181
    21902 92 012A   0433 F 20080825170442000 56 15 1612580+055943 39  +080 05
    EUTELSAT W2 geostationary
    25491 98 056A   0433 F 20080825183922000 56 15 1758250+052605 39  +115 05
    SICRAL 1 geostationary
    26694 01 005A   0433 F 20080825183922000 56 15 1759180+052156 39  +115 05
    SL-14 R/B
    25369 98 036G   0433 F 20080825180906500 56 15 1539090-013940 39  +075 05
    COSMOS 1842
    17911 87 038A   0433 F 20080825180932100 56 15 1534290-015313 39  +060 05
    COSMOS 2058 steady
    20465 90 010A   0433 F 20080825185907400 56 15 1400510-060723 39  +040 05
    EXPRESS 3A geostationary
    26378 00 031A   0433 F 20080825175653000 56 15 1513248+053314 39  +120 05
    SYRACUSE 3A geostationary
    28885 05 041B   0433 F 20080825191143000 56 15 2051404+052026 39  +090 05
    SL-12 R/B(2) geostationary
    14117 82 009F   0433 F 20080825203323000 56 15 2319356+004552 39  +125 05
    
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
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