Thank you for your prompt and precise reply! I find many reports about Rocket you notify. Launched in january 2002, after payload (Insat 3C) release, stage # 3 has been left in high eccentric orbit, then sometime visible to us. It sounds impressive to see a 11 x 2.6 meters cylinder at 38000 Km!!! Neither I did'n count on register a 13.8 mag satellite trail, miracle of present technology! If I could, I would see the passage simulation in private e-mail. My compliments to you and other mailing list people. Paolo Berardi L'Aquila Italy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Matson, Robert" <ROBERT.D.MATSON@saic.com> To: "Paolo" <xberardi@tin.it>; <SeeSat-L@satobs.org> Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 4:14 AM Subject: RE: Trail of unknown object on CCD image > Bravo, Paolo! Your report was excellent and made for easy identification of > the satellite in your images. It was 02002B, #27299 -- an Ariane 42L rocket > body. Range at the time of your second exposure was 38166 km, altitude > 36134 km. Predicted visual magnitude was +13.8. I can send you a .GIF file > privately if you like, showing the predicted transit. > > Cheers, > Rob > > -----Original Message----- > From: SeeSat-L-request@satobs.org [mailto:SeeSat-L-request@satobs.org]On > Behalf Of Paolo > Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 3:59 PM > To: SeeSat-L@satobs.org > Subject: Trail of unknown object on CCD image > > > Hi all! > This is my first post here. I'm looking for satellite observational > site/forum after having noted an unknown trail on my astronomical photo with > CCD camera. > > Yes, my main interest is astro-imaging. I'm an amateur astronomer living in > L'Aquila, a small town close to centre of Italy. I consider satellite > observation a fascinating activity too. Moreover, sometimes activities > "crossing" are inevitable! Just like what is happened a few days ago. > > Following a CCD camera recent purchase, I begin a survey principally for > test the new equipment, a Starlight Xpress SXV-H9 CCD camera (a very > sensitive camera) with a Pentax astrograph (500 mm focal lenght). > > I find a mysterious trail on two photos of the Great Nebula of Orion (code > Messier 42). Both trails direction are on the same alignment, therefore it > seems that the object show a change of position between first and the second > shot. This is the reason to exclude cosmic rays cause (CCD cameras are very > sensitive to cosmic rays, resulting in a trail when they strike the CCD > image sensor at glancing angles). > > A peculiarity is the relative low angular speed. I find approx 7'/minute > (about 1/8 of degree per minute). Then the unknown object is too slow > compared to an usual satellite (low orbit type) or an airplane, too fast > compared to an asteroid or a so faint comet. > > Another important observation: on the basis of simple geometric > calculations, I find the object had to be at least 15000 Km from earth > surface so that it's outside earth shadow and the sun can light up it. In > fact the observation time was at about 00:45 local time (unusual moment for > common visual satellite) and the object was at about 40 degree above horizon > toward south azimuth. > > Then, what is the object? I think about high altitude satellite in highly > eccentric orbits or geosynchronous transfer orbits (GTO) or mid earth orbit, > etc. > > Furthermore I read about several satellite launch on 21 december, the same > day of my observations. Here is a list: > > COSPAR/WWAS USSTRATCOM SPACECRAFT LAUNCH > INT.ID CAT. # NAME DATE (UT) > ---------------------------------------------------------------- > 2005-049B 28912 MSG 2 21 December 2005 > 2005-049A 28911 INSAT 4A 21 December 2005 > 2005-048B 28909 Rodnik 21 December 2005 > 2005-048A 28908 Gonets-D1M 1 21 December 2005 > 2005-047A 28906 Progress-M 55 21 December 2005 > > May be a Rocket in transfer orbit? > > I submit this questions to you, I think this is the best place to find an > answer! Meanwhile I request an account at Space-Track to retrieve global TLE > for simulations. > > Follow all related observational informations: > > Site coordinate > City: L'Aquila, Italy > Long.: 13° 24' 24" EAST > Lat.: 42° 20' 05" NORTH > Altitude: 700 meters over sea level > > Photo #2 (complete trail) > Date: 21 december 2005 > Time: U.T. from 23h:45m:46s to 23h:47m:46s (precision +/- 3 sec) > Total exposure time: 120 sec > > Photo #1 (incomplete trail) > Date: 21 december 2005 > Time: U.T. from 23h:43m:38s to 23h:44m:38s (precision +/- 3 sec) > Total exposure time: 60 sec > > I find equatorial and azimutal coordinates (RA, Dec, Alt, Azim) for a > specific moment, thanks to the trail crossing over a note star. Star is > named SAO 132323 (visual star of apparent magnitude 2.75): > > Right Ascension (RA2000): 5h 35m 26s > Declination (Dec2000): -5° 54' 36" > Crossing time: U.T. 23h:46m:30s > Alt. at crossing time: + 39° > Azim. at crossing time: 200° > > I don't know the object apparent magnitude, but the CCD sensor is very > sensitive, then certainly it's not a very bright satellite. > > This is the link to my photos, so you can estimate brightness and other > feature of the trail: > > http://www.acvaquila.it/app/sat_track_aq.jpg > > I Hope this is not an off-topic argument and you find it to be to your > liking. Waiting for good news! > > Best regards and clear sky! > Paolo > > PS: sorry for bad english... > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: > http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: > http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Jan 11 2006 - 15:16:43 EST