Optical 20 Jan 2010-part 2-last

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Fri Jan 22 2010 - 09:56:00 UTC

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    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
    
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    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jan 22 2010 - 09:57:54 UTC