NOSS 2-3 leader and trailer OBS
Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Sat, 1 Jun 1996 09:18:42 -0400
The leader and the trailer objects of NOSS 2-3
96-29A 6.0
1 23862U 96029 A 96148.07100000 .00000020 00000-0 35983-4 0 00
2 23862 63.4200 232.6585 0068787 187.2591 50.3842 13.40340049 08
were observed, with the trailer about 1 second late wrt this elset. The
lead object appulsed Albireo at 960601 041836.09, the trailer at
041842.02. Conditions in cirrus/haze were difficult for such faint
objects. No sidecar was observed, though strongly and persistently
sought. Appulses of a star which calculation suggests must be SAO 69188 =
GC 27677 were timed, possibly more accurately, at 041906.30 and 041912.10.
My positional determination does not come close to improving the path
predicted from this elset, which seems to represent ideally what was seen.
The objects went 2 or more times as far South of Albireo as they did North
of SAO 69188.
If I had to report an astrometric position, I'd use what I plotted from
the elset above to give:
NOSS 2-3 leader
96 6 1 4 18 36.09 19 30.4 +27.42 1950 - or -
96 6 1 4 18 36.09 19 32.4 +27.52 2000
object was about 5s EARLY wrt above elset
The trailer would be the same at 041842.02.
(Superfluously or otherwise, this is a bit like saying "good job" to
Wernher von Braun and Stark Draper late in 1969 July, since the truth is
obvious to all, but nevertheless,)
I'd like sincerely to congratulate Rainer Kracht on finding 96- 29 A; and
everyone else (Ted, your confidence seems quite justified) involved in the
hunt as well.
The B object, NOSS 2-3 r, was fairly bright about 7 minutes earlier, and
tumbling with a period of about 11/2 = 5 1/2 seconds. Hopefully, PPAS
report to follow.
Cheers.
Walter Nissen dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu
---
Astronomy is lights in the sky.