Obs 09 May 2009

From: Greg Roberts (grr@iafrica.com)
Date: Thu May 11 2006 - 08:47:39 EDT

  • Next message: Alberto Rango: "4541 SATOBS 10 May 2006"

    Usual computer controlled satellite tracking system with
    145mm focal length f/2.5 lens,integrating for 64 frames
    which is equivalent to an exposure of 1.28 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:
    ----------------------------
    
    13172 82 041C   0433 F 20060509162556400 56 15 1301202-031513 39
    13172 82 041C   0433 F 20060509162633300 56 15 1238370+065152 39
    13172 82 041C   0433 F 20060509162707200 56 15 1220052+152434 39
    14728 84 012C   0433 F 20060509163127000 56 15 1604285-780852 39
    26906 01 040B   0433 F 20060509163420900 56 15 0253422-302128 39
    26906 01 040B   0433 F 20060509163511800 56 15 0240232-380649 39
    26906 01 040B   0433 F 20060509163536200 56 15 0232342-414312 39
    21798 91 082A   0433 F 20060509165505800 56 15 1753053-582747 39  +065 05
    21798 91 082A   0433 F 20060509165610700 56 15 1655282-594822 39  +059 05
    21798 91 082A   0433 F 20060509165711600 56 15 1540431-584011 39  +055 05
    21798 91 082A   0433 F 20060509165758600 56 15 1434080-543319 39  +052 05
    90020 04 539A   0433 F 20060509170506100 56 15 0409041-080059 39  +065 05
    90020 04 539A   0433 F 20060509170756500 56 15 0407503-154918 39  +070 05
    90020 04 539A   0433 F 20060509171049200 56 15 0403321-254443 39  +065 05
    28636 05 011A   0433 F 20060509171635200 56 15 0041198-742633 39  +095 05
    28636 05 011A   0433 F 20060509171735400 56 15 0332388-700801 39  +100 05
    28636 05 011A   0433 F 20060509171836800 56 15 0514558-543458 39  +090 05
    28637 05 011B   0433 F 20060509172052500 56 15 0355361-350654 39  +075 05
    28637 05 011B   0433 F 20060509172141100 56 15 0420201-251238 39  +070 05
    28637 05 011B   0433 F 20060509172258900 56 15 0447297-093427 39  +075 05
    05679 71 110B   0433 F 20060509172408000 56 15 0325055-684036 39  +050 05
    05679 71 110B   0433 F 20060509172506200 56 15 0115528-744324 39  +050 05
    05679 71 110B   0433 F 20060509172542100 56 15 2344375-745201 39  +053 05
    28646 05 016A   0433 F 20060509172736000 56 15 0731104-380635 39  +020 05
    28646 05 016A   0433 F 20060509172836200 56 15 0917316-164020 39  +020 05
    28646 05 016A   0433 F 20060509172913300 56 15 1006056-022953 39  +020 05
    90002 98 789A   0433 F 20060509183000100 56 15 1348207-051058 39  +125 05
    
    Strays seen :
    -------------
    
    Noaa 7
    12553 81 059A   0433 F 20060509164341200 56 15 0243340-311035 39  +075 05
    Cosmos 2092
    20737 90 070C   0433 F 20060509165811100 56 15 1416064-525559 39  +080 05
    GPS 51 Del 2 rkt
    27665 03 005C   0433 F 20060509172053800 56 15 0353521-335238 39  +078 05
    Prospero
    05880 71 093A   0433 F 20060509180012100 56 15 1847381-782407 39  +080 05
    
    
    Unknown ???
    -----------------
    
    91063 06 129LEO 0433 F 20060509170647900 56 15 0404383-130906 39  +090 05
    91063 06 129LEO 0433 F 20060509170648600 56 15 0405363-124604 39  +090 05
    91063 06 129LEO 0433 F 20060509170649400 56 15 0406259-122650 39  +090 05
    91063 06 129LEO 0433 F 20060509170650200 56 15 0407248-120316 39  +090 05
    91063 06 129LEO 0433 F 20060509170650900 56 15 0408113-114325 39  +090 05
    91063 06 129LEO 0433 F 20060509170651700 56 15 0408543-112359 39  +090 05
    
    Notes:
    -------
    
    (1) The unknown #91062 reported on the 7th May has been identified by
        Mike McCants as object 90-102G, catalog number #26795 and listed
        as SL-12 debri. Element sets show a very large variation in mean
        motion and eccentricity over a time span of one week according
        to Mike.The 90-102E and F objects were "aux motors" which
        decayed in 1998 and 1991 and 90-102G was only catalogued in June
        2001. Mike suggests that it is a piece of mylar and the optical
        characteristics and high drag support this. Thanks also to Scott
        Campbell for his input.
    
        This object is in a 159.87 minute orbit inclined at 45.92 degrees
        and ranging from 1598 out to 5163 kilometres.The latest element
        set for this object verifies that Mike's "guess" is correct.
        Well done Mike!
    
        I will attempt to observe this object again just for the
        satisfaction of knowing what I am looking at.
    
    (2) The unknown #91063 reported today may not be an unknown and I
        would be perfectly happy to accept that it was a bird . It was
        very faint and I was not really able to detect any flapping
        motion. Night birds usually fly over in groups so this may
        be an ostracised bird.
    
    (3) Satellites #13172,#14728 and #26906 tracked in very bright twilight
        so reference stars rather few and faint.
    
    (4) Geostationary #90002 may be questionable. I did a long exposure
        of the predicted area and found a short trail that may or may not
        be a satellite - Ill have to wait for darker skies to be more
        certain.
    
    (5) Final Ivan Artner reports that #90027 is running late by at least
        13 minutes which indicates that an orbit change has been made. Ivan
        monitors the satellites radio transmission and is a good example
        of how the radio and visual tracker can work together. Now that I
        know roughly how late the satellite is running I should be able to
        re-locate it and track it until it is moved yet again. Wonder if
        it is a Trumpet satellite?
    
    
    (6) My apologies for the mail problem I am currently having. My reports
        reach SeeSat intact but in being converted to the digest form most
        of the contents are lost so all I get in my digest is the heading.
        Are other receipients having the same problem?  I havent changed
        anything this side that I know of that should cause this problem.
        My server is currently having problems so it looks like there are
        quite a few hours delay before this actually reaches SeeSat.  I
        wonder if its because the local government has just passed a bill
        in parliament allowing telephone tapping and interception of
        e-mail to be legal.
    
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
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