Unidentified object in 12 hour 62.8 degree orbit

Tony Beresford (starman@camtech.net.au)
Sun, 07 Mar 1999 02:16:34 +1030

Rob McNaught of Bugaldie, NSW Australia has been detecting a satellite
flash daily as it passed overhead at Bugaldie (-31.125494, 149.11494 ,
397m above msl) since February 10. This was possible because he has an observing
setup to image bright fireballs using a network of all-sky cameras. A film camera
with 40 minute exposures records the fireball position, while a video camera
running continuously gives event times. Only bright events (brihter than -2)
show on the video system. These include Iridium flares, flashing satellites, as well as fireballs. I have been helping out with identifying satellites giving bright flashes.

The ground track of this object repeats very precisely, as Rob notes he
can superimpose the Bugaldie images from February 10 and February 20,
and the short iridium like flash merge. The video camera
at the Mudgee site ( -32.45749S, 149.6115E, 507m) imaged flashes on February
11,13,16,  so times could be determined for these events and positions measured off the film. The nearly midnight local time of these flares meant the satellite had to
be high , the shadow height above bugaldie on Feb 11 was 2690Km

I could find nothing in recent alldat.tle files corresponding to the observations
of this object. On March 3,1999 Rob McNaught observed the object using 
binoculars. Its brightest overhead at about mag 3, though its "base " magnitude
seems to be about 6. This makes it about absolute mag 3. I have not yet seen the
object myself, though I have looked for it on the passes of March 4 and 5.
As Rob is nearly under the path, errors in the eccentricity dont effect
his ability to find it. Observations off the path are needed to fix the
eccentricity and argument of perigee.

Mike McCants produced an orbit which fitted the observations reasonably well
Its is given below, and I have used the opportunity to work out how to use 
fitelem programme. Note it may need some extra editing. Mike's highfly
programme doesnt bother with the check sums.

unk m         
1 99008U 99999A   99 63.11951507  .00000390  00000-0  31040+0 0    01
2 99008  62.8680 149.9591 6980000 269.3500  90.6504  2.00609399    08

Comments on what this object might be are welcome, as well as observations,
either on the list or privately. 
Mike has already noted that it cant be associated with the 97-58B object
(a Centaur stage) as the RA of the Node is incompatible.

Here are the observations so far in the form required for fitelem

    2
  -31.1259 -149.1149     1300.   Bugaldie
  -32.4575 -149.6612     1600.   Mudgee
Daily flasher
1 99008U 99999A   99 63.11951507  .00000400  00000-0  31836+0 0    06
2 99008  62.8680 149.9591 6980000 269.3500  90.6504  2.00609399    08
  2 99  2 11 13 37 05.0  09 10.0  -22.50  2000
  2 99  2 13 13 28 30.   09 09.0  -22.50  2000
  2 99  2 16 13 15 39.   09 07.0  -22.50  2000
  1 99  3  3 12 11 33.8  09 13.08 -19.88  2000
  1 99  3  3 12 11 37.0  09 13.80 -19.68  2000
  1 99  3  3 12 14 19.9  09 38.02 -07.10  2000
  1 99  3  4 12 04 54.2  08 39.21 -33.61  2000
  1 99  3  4 12 05 43.3  08 53.12 -28.35  2000
  1 99  3  4 12 05 49.9  08 54.73 -27.68  2000
  1 99  3  4 12 09 09.8  09 31.65 -10.55  2000
  1 99  3  5 11 59 12.9  08 09.57 -42.58  2000
  1 99  3  5 12 00 22.0  08 39.22 -33.58  2000
  1 99  3  5 12 03 25.4  09 18.73 -16.60  2000
  1 99  3  5 12 03 39.7  09 21.23 -15.67  2000
  1 99  3  5 12 06 54.6  09 46.27 -02.60  2000
  0  0

Tony Beresford