Observations 09 JUNE 2005:
------------------------------------
Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
MINTRON low light level CCD surveillance camera (0.005 lux typical
in non integration mode) and 0.00005 lux in STARLIGHT mode with 128
frame integration.
Used with 145mm focal length f/2.5 lens.
Conditions as good as they get at my location. Cold with good seeing
and transparency with very high humidity.Stopped eventually by mist.
Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude 33.94058 deg S,
Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa
21949 92 023A 0433 E 20050609174412100 56 15 0902040+065350 39 +055 05
21949 92 023A 0433 E 20050609174417700 56 15 0903347+075101 39 +055 05
27380 02 007A 0433 E 20050609172228100 56 15 1455518+051524 39 +100 05
27380 02 007A 0433 E 20050609172654200 56 15 1500213+051543 39 +100 05
27380 02 007A 0433 E 20050609173352100 56 15 1507188+051505 39 +100 05
27712 03 012B 0433 E 20050609173648800 56 15 0857550+051230 39 +105 05
27938 03 041B 0433 E 20050609174958600 56 15 1006399-000815 39 +090 05
90013 03 564A 0433 E 20050609162231100 56 15 1242466+052945 39 +085 05
90016 03 766A 0433 E 20050609170201500 56 15 1028358+095534 39 +090 05
90016 03 766A 0433 E 20050609172004500 56 15 1048531+092201 39 +090 05
90016 03 766A 0433 E 20050609180912400 56 15 1144161+074431 39 +090 05
90016 03 766A 0433 E 20050609181643600 56 15 1152452+072845 39 +090 05
90016 03 766A 0433 E 20050609190143300 56 15 1243426+055003 39 +095 05
90030 05 544A 0433 E 20050609190543800 56 15 1324586+082704 39 +090 05
90033 05 558A 0433 E 20050609175428800 56 15 1132485+071402 39 +090 05
91027 05 625A 0433 E 20050609172228100 56 15 1455525+051805 39 +105 05
91027 05 625A 0433 E 20050609172654200 56 15 1500206+051824 39 +105 05
91027 05 625A 0433 E 20050609173352100 56 15 1507190+051747 39 +105 05
91031 05 638X 0433 E 20050609164102300 56 15 1503395+005411 39 +100 05
91031 05 638X 0433 E 20050609164748800 56 15 1510250+005415 39 +090 05
92032 05 638A 0433 E 20050609162452300 56 15 1441136+054900 39 +070 05
92032 05 638A 0433 E 20050609163701300 56 15 1452599+050047 39 +070 05
93030 05 629C 0433 G 20050606183314200 56 15 1644135+025519 39 +100 05
93030 05 629C 0433 E 20050609164355900 56 15 1506490+025124 39 +110 05
Notes:
--------
(1) Object 91033 has now been decayed by me.
Mike produced an orbit which, from the observations, show that it
had an inclination similar to 90016 so I strongly suspect this is in
fact 90016 so it resumes its correct identity.
The new orbit places 90016 about 3 degrees or so west of the predicted
points for the old 90016 element set.
Sorry for introducing new "unknown" satellites - its the fault of the
people who move satellites around....
(2) Intelsat 904 (#27380) and the unknown #91027:
Tonight they were easily seperated at about 17h44mUT. I have reported
positions for both objects. The third position of both objects is not
that great as it was at the extreme edge of the field where lens
distortions are appreciable.
(3) Still to measure and report:
Intelsat 904 and #91027 at 19h21mUT
#90016 at about 19h28m UT
#91031 at about 19h32m UT
#92032 at about 19h38m UT
Milstar 5 at about 19h40m UT
(4) Not seen - Milstar DFS2 - I suspect this object moved some time ago
and as far as my observations were concerned it was not a Milstar
satellite that was observed as it was far too faint.
#26356 - this should be a DSP. I have some uncertainty about it because,
using the 5 inch refractor with the MINTRON- which gets me to about
magnitude +14, there was a faint flashing object at this location, BUT
not DSP type flashing. I have not seen it subsequently and the object
now called #90033 is a DSP and probably the real #26356 which looks
like it has been moved.
Not seen - #90029
(4) I have not bothered to measure commercial geostationaries nor other
stray objects observed. LEO satellites observed were
77013B - SL-8 R/B
92066B - Delta 2 R/B
93001B - SL-8 R/B
95057B - Atlas 2 Centaur
98025A - Cosmos 2350 - nice geostationary flasher
if anybody wants positions of such - which I doubt - I will measure
them.
(5) I was very pleased to receive an email communication from James Overbeck
who is the son of the late W.P.Overbeck . Those satellite trackers that
go back to the early 60's and were involved with PHOTOTRACK, The VOLUNTEER
SATELLITE TRACKING PROGRAM and the INDEPENDENT TRACKING
COORDINATION PROGRAM will recognize the name of W.P.O or "Bill".
He wrote many papers on the subject of visual satellite observations and
orbit
analysis and introduced new techniques and I regard Bill as being the person
who
taught me most of what I know about satellite tracking,so it was indeed a
pleasure
to meet his son. I wonder how many of us are still around - I know there is
Mike McCants,Art Arnold, Doc Emerson ( deceased?) and possibly others.
Cheers
Greg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive:
http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 10 2005 - 13:13:28 EDT