Observations 04 May 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 . I have improved my image
processing of the images obtained and now can see satellites down
to about magnitude 14 with certainty.
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:
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27168 02 001A 0433 G 20050504164716100 56 15 0745183+061851 39 +120 05
27168 02 001A 0433 G 20050504202714000 56 15 1125432+041131 39 +105 05
27168 02 001A 0433 G 20050504213348500 56 15 1232451+034209 39 +100 05
27168 02 001A 0433 G 20050504214244000 56 15 1241448+033847 39 +100 05
90013 03 564A 0433 G 20050504164116600 56 15 1039252+092949 39 +089 05
90016 03 766A 0433 G 20050504164350900 56 15 0648435+124459 39 +118 05
90016 03 766A 0433 G 20050504202811400 56 15 1051418+090116 39 +100 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504174207000 56 15 0859202+065922 39 +115 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504181710800 56 15 0934282+070452 39 +100 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504182455400 56 15 0942163+070641 39 +100 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504203119900 56 15 1149073+070527 39 +115 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504204002300 56 15 1158090+070355 39 +110 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504205304800 56 15 1211102+070240 39 +110 05
90033 05 558A 0433 G 20050504205712400 56 15 1215191+070112 39 +110 05
90034 05 592A 0433 G 20050504174534600 56 15 1034133+090212 39 +107 05
Commercial geostationaries:
---------------------------------
EUTELSAT W2
25491 98 056A 0433 G 20050504222639600 56 15 1420507+052942 39 +090 05
SICRAL 1
26694 01 005A 0433 G 20050504222639600 56 15 1421161+053357 39 +080 05
HOTBIRD - see notes (1)
23537 95 016B 0433 G 20050504223244000 56 15 1413118+052951 39 +095 05
SIRIUS 3 - see notes (2)
25492 98 056B 0433 G 20050504212910400 56 15 1232089+052553 39 +095 05
25492 98 056B 0433 G 20050504213834600 56 15 1241367+052528 39 +094 05
EUTELSAT W1
26487 00 052A 0433 G 20050504204359200 56 15 1210330+053057 39 +107 05
26487 00 052A 0433 G 20050504205920800 56 15 1225525+053040 39 +107 05
EUTELSAT 1-F4
18351 87 078B 0433 G 20050504171640800 56 15 0851062+151215 39 +120 05
GORIZONT 22
20953 90 102A 0433 G 20050504180546400 56 15 1137460+140040 39 +125 05
GORIZONT 19
20263 89 081A 0433 G 20050504180546400 56 15 1137529+135922 39 +120 05
METEOSAT 2
12544 81 057A 0433 G 20050504180638300 56 15 1137324+132439 39 +135 05
INTELSAT 502
12089 80 098A 0433 G 20050504183102200 56 15 1246450+104759 39 +100 05
EUTELSAT 2-F2
21056 91 003B 0433 G 20050504183419600 56 15 1255369+101728 39 +090 05
YAMAL 202
28089 03 053A 0433 G 20050504184933800 56 15 1312405+051956 39 +085 05
28089 03 053A 0433 G 20050504190330900 56 15 1326389+052018 39 +085 05
EKRAN 7
12564 81 061A 0433 G 20050504184933800 56 15 1316550+033815 39 +100 05
INTELSAT 706
23571 95 023A 0433 G 20050504185854700 56 15 1327398+051852 39 +080 05
EKRAN 11
14377 83 100A 0433 G 20050504185854700 56 15 1330226+044640 39 +100 05
GSAT 2
27807 03 018A 0433 G 20050504190330900 56 15 1322096+051732 39 +090 05
INTELSAT 904 - see notes (3)
27380 02 007A 0433 G 20050504191559700 56 15 1427444+051709 39 +085 05
INTELSAT 902
26900 01 039A 0433 G 20050504192422000 56 15 1444507+051708 39 +080 05
26900 01 039A 0433 G 20050504192555900 56 15 1446194+051639 39 +080 05
PAS 4
23636 95 040A 0433 G 20050504194223600 56 15 1546085+051012 39 +115 05
INSAT 3C
27298 02 002A 0433 G 20050504195002700 56 15 1602060+051110 39 +130 05
KALPANA 1 - see notes (4)
27525 02 043A 0433 G 20050504195002700 56 15 1602211+051206 39 +100 05
GSAT 3 - see notes(4)
28417 04 036A 0433 G 20050504195002700 56 15 1602132+050919 39 +100 05
LMI 1
25924 99 053A 0433 G 20050504195002700 56 15 1606267+050833 39 +100 05
GORIZONT 23
21533 91 046A 0433 G 20050504195002700 56 15 1559569+050300 39 +100 05
EUTELSAT W5
27554 02 051A 0433 G 20050504195617800 56 15 1553269+050859 39 +100 05
RADUGA 1-6
26936 01 045A 0433 G 20050504195854700 56 15 1554323+062848 39 +120 05
RADUGA 5
11343 79 035A 0433 G 20050504201303900 56 15 1608173-073708 39 +120 05
Rocket casings etc in geostationary or very elliptical orbits:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
SL12 R/B(2) i=63.6,p=675m,orbit 19076x19150 km,observed range 20544km
23516 95 009F 0433 G 20050504221918700 56 15 1355129+101241 39 +110 05
ARIANE 44L R/B i=7.0,p=400m,orbit 208 x 22997km,observed range 15076km
21654 91 055B 0433 G 20050504214244000 56 15 1244225+040837 39 +105 05
SL12 R/B(2) observed range 36400 kms
28119 03 053E 0433 G 20050504174256200 56 15 0859514+063924 39 +110 05
28119 03 053E 0433 G 20050504181710800 56 15 0935223+064916 39 +115 05
28119 03 053E 0433 G 20050504182133200 56 15 0939526+065042 39 +110 05
28119 03 053E 0433 G 20050504202119900 56 15 1155418+071130 39 +120 05
28119 03 053E 0433 G 20050504204002300 56 15 1205122+071113 39 +113 05
ARIANE 5 R/B i=56.1,p=2604M,orbit 18809x93832 kms,observed range 63497 km
25990 99 066B 0433 G 20050504171640800 56 15 0851338+150642 39 +115 05
ARIANE 42L R/B, observed range 14298 kms
22655 93 031C 0433 G 20050504175648900 56 15 1132035+122712 39 +090 05
SL12 R/B(2) observed range 38000 kms
25660 99 013D 0433 G 20050504175648900 56 15 1130554+115138 39 +120 05
SL12 R/B(2), observed range 38520 kms
21792 91 079D 0433 G 20050504175946100 56 15 1144029+135900 39 +130 05
ARIANE 44 LP, observed range 15758 kms
23538 95 016C 0433 G 20050504182133200 56 15 0940069+070051 39 +083 05
SL12 R/B(2)
23111 94 030D 0433 G 20050504182638500 56 15 1239516+115303 39 +105 05
23111 94 030D 0433 G 20050504183102200 56 15 1244246+114908 39 +110 05
SL12 R/B(2)
22213 92 074D 0433 G 20050504182638500 56 15 1241055+121516 39 +110 05
DELTA 4 R/B i=13.4,p=612m,orbit 518x34499kms,observed range 26418 km
27555 02 051B 0433 G 20050504191951900 56 15 1438143+051515 39 +090 05
27555 02 051B 0433 G 20050504192422000 56 15 1443386+054304 39 +090 05
27555 02 051B 0433 G 20050504192555900 56 15 1445319+055340 39 +090 05
SL12 R/B(2)
26895 01 037D 0433 G 20050504193156500 56 15 1438494+060355 39 +115 05
Leo objects:
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15945 85 069B 0433 G 20050504163950900 56 15 1041362+084158 39 +035 05
10144 77 065B 0433 G 20050504175726400 56 15 1137428+133001 39 +050 05
12727 81 053BU 0433 G 20050504182438300 56 15 0946259+072912 39 +115 05
UNKNOWN geostationary:
----------------------------------
Although I measured 10 positions over a period of 20 minutes there is a
lot of scatter in the declination, mainly as a result of the images either
being at the extreme top of the field of view or at the bottom of the field
of view, so lens distortion was appreciable and I was unable to decide
which way it was moving. Here are the measures for what they are worth:
Time (UT) RA (2000) Dec
19:15:59.7 14:28:01.4 +05:21:05 top of field
19:16:59.8 14:29:00.8 +05:20:51 top of field
19:18:00.0 14:30:01.6 +05:20:21 top of field
19:19:00.2 14:31:03.4 +05:20:12 top of field
19:20:00.3 14:31:59.9 +05:20:38 bottom of field
19:21:00.5 14:33:02.3 +05:20:41 bottom of field
19:22:00.7 14:34:03.9 +05:20:49 bottom of field
19:31:56.5 14:43:57.4 +05:21:33 bottom of field
19:34:13.9 14:46:18.6 +05:19:53 centre of field
19:35:30.9 14:47:34.6 +05:20:46 centre of field
magnitude 9.0 steady. INTELSAT 904, at about magnitude 8.5 , was close to it
and during the period observed I could not detect a change in their relative
position to one another.
Notes:
--------
(1) HOTBIRD - 5 geostationary satellites in a tight cluster about 6 arc
minutes square. Magnitudes 9 to 10. Not possible to identify which is
which but HOTBIRDS 1,2,3,4 and 6 at predicted position
(2) SIRIUS 2 and 3 should be at this location - only one satellite seen.
Where was the other SIRIUS ?
(3) Two bright geostationaries at the observed location.One was Intelsat 904
and taken to be the brighter one and closest to predicted position,
whilst I can find no match for the second object.
(4) Not sure which is KALPANA 1 or GSAT 3 as both close together.
(5) Sorry for such a long report - this is what happens when you have an
observing session nearly 7 hours long. Hope I have not made too many
mistakes as my 35 pages of scribbled notes are a shambles!
Cheers
Greg
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