Observations 29 Feb 2008: ------------------------------- 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 200mm focal length f/2.8 lens,integrating for 128 frames which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds per image. Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude 33.94058 deg S, Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa For CLASSFD.TLE: --------------------------------- 27168 02 001A 0433 G 20080229180941700 56 15 0651130+072400 39 +095 05 27168 02 001A 0433 G 20080229182256900 56 15 0704270+072614 39 +095 05 32287 07 054A 0433 G 20080229182629400 56 15 0530510+055848 39 +105 05 32287 07 054A 0433 G 20080229183136600 56 15 0535570+055304 39 +105 05 90016 03 766A 0433 G 20080229183346600 56 15 0304000+094144 39 +105 05 90016 03 766A 0433 G 20080229183750200 56 15 0307450+094752 39 +105 05 23908 96 029C 0433 G 20080229183750200 56 15 0312090+095807 39 +057 05 96101 00 000A 0433 G 20080229184030800 56 15 0723100+213310 39 +090 05 96101 00 000A 0433 G 20080229184436600 56 15 0727190+212738 39 +070 05 96101 00 000A 0433 G 20080229185311200 56 15 0736060+211508 39 +090 05 96126 00 000A 0433 G 20080229190522500 56 15 0438060+054424 39 +130 05 96126 00 000A 0433 G 20080229190708300 56 15 0439510+054930 39 +110 05 96126 00 000A 0433 G 20080229190850700 56 15 0441310+055239 39 +130 05 96006 00 000A 0433 G 20080229192940000 56 15 0547080+064021 39 +120 05 96006 00 000A 0433 G 20080229193309900 56 15 0550400+064520 39 +100 05 96006 00 000A 0433 G 20080229193523100 56 15 0552530+064742 39 +099 05 96009 00 000A 0433 G 20080229193842800 56 15 0707020+075509 39 +100 05 96009 00 000A 0433 G 20080229194243400 56 15 0710040+075516 39 +095 05 96009 00 000A 0433 G 20080229194649200 56 15 0713090+075457 39 +105 05 96011 00 000A 0433 G 20080229194806000 56 15 0758450+111224 39 +120 05 96011 00 000A 0433 G 20080229195143600 56 15 0802280+111641 39 +120 05 96011 00 000A 0433 G 20080229195500700 56 15 0805470+112119 39 +125 05 96027 00 000A 0433 G 20080229195557000 56 15 0826510+145254 39 +105 05 96027 00 000A 0433 G 20080229200054000 56 15 0831520+144747 39 +105 05 96091 00 000A 0433 G 20080229212823000 56 15 1340230-000107 39 +115 05 96091 00 000A 0433 G 20080229213126000 56 15 1343240-000941 39 +095 05 96091 00 000A 0433 G 20080229213534400 56 15 1347320-002115 39 +111 05 Strays seen: -------------- Cosmos 1876 18335 87 074B 0433 G 20080229182256900 56 15 0704130+072623 39 +075 05 Cosmos 1510 14521 83 115A 0433 G 20080229183136600 56 15 0538480+061245 39 +045 05 Cosmos 1052 11129 78 109B 0433 G 20080229183152700 56 15 0532520+062643 39 +065 05 SL-6 R/B(2) range 8310 kms, variable +7.5/9 approx 07800 75 036D 0433 G 20080229184837300 56 15 0732270+212733 39 +075 05 H-2A R/B shortly after shadow entry 27700 03 009C 0433 G 20080229184843500 56 15 0732130+214657 39 +070 05 Midas 3 00163 61 018A 0433 G 20080229192141300 56 15 0402400+070609 39 +075 05 SL12 R/B(2) range 38130 kms variable 25645 99 010D 0433 G 20080229202318500 56 15 0809470+114423 39 +120 05 Unknown: ----------- 99999 99 999A 0433 G 20080229200124800 56 15 0646020+113709 39 +085 05 99999 99 999A 0433 G 20080229200208200 56 15 0647270+113739 39 +095 05 Notes: ----------- (1) Purpose of session was to continue examination of the geo and near geostationary satellites cataloged in ESA REPORT #10. This is a slow process and out of 30 examined during this session I found 7 - I still have to do about 10 of the 30 but whilst observing nothing was seen for those objects, most probably because my magnitude limit was about +13 whilst the ESA CATALOG states that some of the objects are as faint as +15. I will use the 6 inch reflector for the objects not found at a later date. (2) Unknown seen - have no match in my satellite database, and as is usual with such short arc observations probably a waste of time doing anything about it. Only two points obtained- disappeared rather abruptly so may have been shadow entry. Looks like a large piece of debri. I have not yet tried to compare it to the unknown seen yesterday- Ive had enough of measuring etc for today!! (3) Characteristics of the 96**** objects observed: #96101 appears to give one short bright flash roughly every 250-260 seconds, the rest of the time being fainter than mag +13. One flash was as bright as about mag +7. Because of the long invisibility period I rate this as "difficult" although the flashes are very bright. #96126 slow variable reaching about mag +11 at brightest and fainter than mag +13 at minimum. A very rough guess at the period is about 2 minutes. #96006 slow variable, occassional bright flashes to about mag +10. Has a relatively short period of invisibility when fainter than mag +13. The bright flashes are seperated by about 50-54 seconds. I rate this an "easy" object for my system. #96009 regular variation, short period of a few seconds and magnitude variation about 1 magnitude. Rate as "easy". #96011 regular variation with small amplitude of about half a magnitude. Moderately easy but quite faint at maximum. #96027 "easy" bright object with not much variation, probably less than half a magnitude. Am inclined to think this is a payload rather than rocket or other debri. #96091 Short period variability between mag +11.5 and mag +13 with frequent short flashes to about magnitude +9.5. The observed elevation was only 20 degrees so if it was higher in the sky - with less light pollution, it would be rated as an "easy" object. Cheers Greg ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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