Observations 20 Jan 2010 Part2 ----------------------------------- 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. Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters. using integration times of 5 sec min to 25 seconds maximum depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image processing done, but some done automatically in the auto reduction software. Used with 4 inch SKYWATCHER refractor- model 1025 - fitted with home made focal reducer to give an f/2.56 system. Image scale is 6.56 arc sec/pixel and field of view 84.8 x 63.2 arc minutes. Shows 15th magnitude stars in real time with reasonably good conditions. 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, Elevation 10 metres-situated in Pinelands (Cape Town),South Africa All CCD observations. FOR CLASSFD.TLE: ================== 12339 81 025A 0433 F 20100120184651500 16 15 0608536+212636 28 +125 02 12339 81 025A 0433 F 20100120184906000 16 15 0611115+212711 28 +122 01 12339 81 025A 0433 F 20100120185125000 16 15 0613344+212746 28 +122 14 22915 93 074A 0433 F 20100120213728000 16 15 0943267+111516 18 +124 03 22915 93 074A 0433 F 20100120213919000 16 15 0945189+111611 27 +123 01 22915 93 074A 0433 F 20100120214017000 16 15 0946174+111638 27 +122 03 22915 93 074A 0433 F 20100120214154000 16 15 0947547+111722 57 +126 27 25148 98 005A 0433 F 20100120203646000 16 15 0503296+040036 38 25148 98 005A 0433 F 20100120203750000 16 15 0507421+052727 28 25148 98 005A 0433 F 20100120203953500 16 15 0515039+080049 28 25148 98 005A 0433 F 20100120204105500 16 15 0518549+092134 38 +131 05 25148 98 005A 0433 F 20100120204133500 16 15 0520175+095047 38 +139 06 25148 98 005A 0433 F 20100120204424500 16 15 0527575+123556 49 29249 06 027A 0433 F 20100120193610000 16 15 0242471+281831 38 29249 06 027A 0433 F 20100120193746000 16 15 0245063+271212 38 33490 09 001A 0433 F 20100120183955500 16 15 0549530+082850 28 33490 09 001A 0433 F 20100120184311500 16 15 0553099+082836 38 33490 09 001A 0433 F 20100120184455500 16 15 0554540+082828 28 96049 96 549A 0433 F 20100120223924000 16 15 1003173+061115 78 96049 96 549A 0433 F 20100120224026000 16 25 1004285+060748 29 +112 18 96049 96 549A 0433 F 20100120224122000 16 25 1005167+060436 39 +108 18 96061 96 561A 0433 F 20100120223409000 16 15 0946492+103624 67 +139 02 96061 96 561A 0433 F 20100120223514000 16 15 0947546+103645 28 +140 02 96061 96 561A 0433 F 20100120223602000 16 15 0948432+103658 28 +138 03 96077 96 577A 0433 F 20100120222513000 16 15 0831453+181315 38 +148 11 96077 96 577A 0433 F 20100120222710000 16 15 0833434+181415 28 +132 01 96077 96 577A 0433 F 20100120222906000 16 15 0835420+181515 38 96077 96 577A 0433 F 20100120223015000 16 15 0836518+181547 28 +136 03 96077 96 577A 0433 F 20100120223125000 16 15 0838032+181621 18 96102 96 602A 0433 F 20100120221114000 16 15 0751440+194232 58 +135 04 96126 96 626A 0433 F 20100120220648000 16 15 0609388+103600 48 +130 02 96126 96 626A 0433 F 20100120220748000 16 15 0610379+103756 19 +130 58 96126 96 626A 0433 F 20100120220838000 16 15 0611270+103943 19 +121 06 96126 96 626A 0433 F 20100120220926000 16 15 0612136+104126 28 +124 02 96127 96 627A 0433 F 20100120221484700 16 15 0348166+053102 18 +135 05 Strays seen: ============== 27368 #2003B DASH/VEP3 range 20930 km 27368 02 003B 0433 F 20100120204105500 16 15 0518272+093653 28 +109 01 27368 02 003B 0433 F 20100120204221500 16 15 0520095+091531 19 +117 02 Thuraya 2 geostationary 27825 03 026A 0433 F 20100120183955500 16 15 0549454+083054 28 27825 03 026A 0433 F 20100120184455500 16 15 0554458+083040 28 NSS513 (Intelsat) Variable geostationary 19121 88 040A 0433 F 20100120222513000 16 15 0832269+174756 48 +147 04 19121 88 040A 0433 F 20100120223125000 16 15 0835395+181424 18 +135 04 INTELSAT 905 geostationary 27438 02 027A 0433 F 20100120214847000 16 15 0349250+051440 18 +120 05 27438 02 027A 0433 F 20100120215133000 16 15 0352100+051414 18 +120 05 Notes: ======= (1) Transparency poor and a bit windy (2) 96089 - not seen - probably too faint (3) 96049 - fairly easy, some variability (4) 96061 - steady, easy (5) 96102 - brief track - looked steady, just before shadow entry (6) 96126 - easy, variable but visible all time (7) 96127 - difficult, variable to invisibility -long period invisible? (8) 96077 - variable (9) 96132 - not positively recorded - difficult, variable The 4 inch refractor is a little too small for some of the 96*** objects- guess its time I brought the 6 inch reflector back into action,but for various reasons I prefer the 4 inch.One thing quite noticeable is how much better the ccd camera performs in cold conditions. Summer is not the best time for observing satellites from Cape Town in terms of sky transparency and ccd performance. Guess I should cool down the camera but always other things to do! Cheers Greg ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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