Optical 17 June 2009 Part 1

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Fri Jun 19 2009 - 16:02:38 UTC

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    Observations 17 June 2009 Part 1
    ---------------------------------------------
    
    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.
    Generally the DSI Pro II camera will be used for high altitude
    slow moving objects. Tests seem to indicate that its sensitivity
    is comparable to the MINTRON ( possibly better) but as its not
    possible (?) to time stamp to better than 1 second accuracy the
    time resolution is not good enough for LEO objects.
    
    (1) 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 70mm focal length f/2.8 lens,integrating for 128 fields
    which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum
    per image. Field of view 4.1 x 3.3 degrees.
    Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal.
    
    (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters.
    using integration times of 20 sec min to 60 seconds maximum
    depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image
    processing done but some done automatically in APEX.
    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
    
    
    FOR CLASSFD.TLE:
    ----------------------------
    29522 06 050A   0433 G 20090617172108300 56 15 0603350-604043 39  +075 05
    29522 06 050A   0433 G 20090617172248000 56 15 0740050-365634 39  +078 05
    25725 99 023B   0433 G 20090617180953500 56 15 0753590-101817 39  +070 05
    25725 99 023B   0433 G 20090617181352300 56 15 0822410-122819 39  +070 05
    25725 99 023B   0433 G 20090617181532700 56 15 0835460-131923 39  +070 05
    25991 99 067A   0433 G 20090617181528400 56 15 0831140-141056 39  +075 05
    25991 99 067A   0433 G 20090617181532700 56 15 0832420-131152 39  +075 05
    25991 99 067A   0433 G 20090617181538500 56 15 0834360-115105 39  +075 05
    90004 99 750A   0433 G 20090617185220000 56 15 1358057-123304 39  +075 05
    90004 99 750A   0433 G 20090617185240700 56 15 1400247-112832 39  +075 05
    90004 99 750A   0433 G 20090617185310800 56 15 1403329-095542 39  +075 05
    90070 06 829A   0433 G 20090617190527100 56 15 1025089+051309 39  +055 05
    90070 06 829A   0433 G 20090617190734000 56 15 1218536+062128 39  +045 05
    90070 06 829A   0433 G 20090617190841800 56 15 1318317+065748 39  +045 05
    
    33490 09 001A   0433 G 20090617162541000 56 15 1325547+033042 39  +080 05
    33490 09 001A   0433 G 20090617162713000 56 15 1327255+032947 39  +080 05
    33490 09 001A   0433 G 20090617162915000 56 15 1329280+032830 39  +080 05
    
    Strays seen:
    ---------------
    COSMOS 2037 steady
    20196 89 068A   0433 G 20090617163624200 56 15 1454290-162715 39  +040 05
    METEOR 2-14  steady
    16735 86 039A   0433 G 20090617163847400 56 15 1556590-264702 39  +045 05
    COSMOS 1328 steady
    12987 81 117A   0433 G 20090617165926300 56 15 1038360+235751 39  +050 05
    SL-8 R/B variable
    10918 78 053B   0433 G 20090617171737800 56 15 0559170-614818 39  +060 05
    COSMOS 1809
    17241 86 101A   0433 G 20090617171937300 56 15 0557270-604424 39  +070 05
    SL-12 R/B
    15774 85 042F   0433 G 20090617174641400 56 15 1415070+071814 39  +075 05
    DELTA 1 R/B steady
    10490 77 108B   0433 G 20090617174925000 56 15 1414430+064433 39  +050 05
    COSMOS 807 variable
    08744 76 022A   0433 G 20090617175221800 56 15 1355310+084324 39  +055 05
    GRACE 2 steady
    27392 02 012B   0433 G 20090617180926500 56 15 0752050-100537 39  +030 05
    GRACE 1 steady
    27391 02 012A   0433 G 20090617180953500 56 15 0752270-094016 39  +030 05
    ALTAS CENTAUR 2 steady
    00694 63 047A   0433 G 20090617183756600 56 15 0925270-003941 39  +040 05
    COSMOS 1833 variable
    17589 87 027A   0433 G 20090617183903100 56 15 0926490-081058 39  +075 05
    KITSAT 3
    25756 99 029A   0433 G 20090617162912000 56 15 1329049+034026 39  +075 05
    
    
    Notes:
    ---------
    (1)All the above were reduced manually, and apart from the observations
       of 33490 all were made with the video camera. I have almost completed
       the observations made with the Meade camera and APEX but have a few
       things I want to check first before reporting which I will do tomorrow.
       Ran out of time today :-((     LOT more to come!!!
    
    (2)The two DMSP satellites tracked are a little too faint for imaging
       when camera used in "stationary" mode, especially if satellite variable
       so end of trails may not be as accurate as I would like. In the case
       of DMSP-15 the second point is accurate whilst those of DMSP F17 were
       on the limit of system. 70mm focal length is too short as I get far
       better magnitude penetration by going to 150mm focal length so this will
       be changed in future- the video system is used purely as a "finder" for
       the main camera.  Milstar 3 Cn Rocket quite variable in brightness
       as was 90004 which gives periodic flashes. 90070 was a nice steady pass
       so no problems with the observations - running about half a minute late
       on elements based on Gerhard Groenewald's observation.
    
    (3)The two GRACE satellites were a pretty sight as one followed the other-
       easy to mistake for a bright NOSS train :-))
    
    (4)Looks like MERCURY 1 (#23223) (used to be called 90016) has moved again.
       Unable to find it but I did not spend too much time hunting for it as
       clouds were threatening. UFO-F02 has also apparently moved as I was
       unable to find it. EKRAN 3 (96098) and INTELSAT 3F7 (#04376) remain as
       elusive as ever - dont know why they are so faint ? -
    
    
    Cheers
    Greg 
    
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    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Jun 19 2009 - 16:02:45 UTC