Lunar transits by satellites

From: Matson, Robert (ROBERT.D.MATSON@saic.com)
Date: Thu Jun 07 2001 - 10:34:19 PDT

  • Next message: Matson, Robert: "First observed lunar transit"

    Hi Bruno and List,
    
    I forward this message from Tristan Cools from April of 2000,
    adding to the list of confirmed observations of lunar transits.
    Seeing sunlit transits of the unlit portion of the moon is
    easy, and not particularly rare.  You can almost guarantee
    seeing several per month if you are willing to do a little
    driving (maybe 15 mile radius?) -- provided cloud cover
    isn't too bad for your location.  SkyMap allows you to
    predict such events several days in advance.
    
    As for dark satellites crossing the lunar disk -- this is
    more of a challenge since the candidate list of satellites
    is restricted to large satellites in low orbits.  But the
    events are no less predictable:  if people are willing to
    drive just a little, they can probably see such a transit
    a few times a year.
    
    Best,
    Rob
    
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From:	Tristan Cools [SMTP:tcools@nic.INbe.net]
    > Sent:	Sunday, April 09, 2000 3:09 PM
    > To:	Seesat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com
    > Subject:	OCS lunar transit
    > 
    > Hello,
    > 
    > I just saw my second lunar transit of a satellite at my observing place
    > Ryckevelde.
    > 
    > The Optical Calibration Sphere(2000-04B) was predicted with Satspy to have
    > a very close pass to the Moon.  In fact when I continued to follow it, the
    > satellite did have a lunar transit !
    > 
    > I could not see it at the illuminated side of the Moon but became visible
    > when it was above the unlit side of the Moon.  It went out of transit at
    > 21h14m53s UTC(April 9).  A very short but intense experience !
    > 
    > This was only the second time I saw a Lunar transit.  The previous one was
    > a Progress spaceship going to Mir some years ago, but this was at full
    > Moon.  
    > 
    > I also have the impression that the OCS sphere isn't very steady.  Some
    > variations are visible on this satellite.  Maybe there is still something
    > attached to it.
    > 
    > 
    > Greetings,
    > 
    > Tristan Cools
    > Belgian Working Group Satellites(BWGS)
    > 
    > Damse Vaart: 3.2478E/51.2277N - OBS place 1
    > Ryckevelde:  3.2856E/51.2045N - OBS place 2
    > Brugge:      3.2166E/51.2104N - OBS place 3(home)
    > 
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe'
    in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org
    http://www2.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jun 07 2001 - 10:36:06 PDT