0 for 2 tracking ISS with Meade Autostar

From: Thomas Fly (thomasfly@j2ee-consultants.com)
Date: Sat Nov 22 2003 - 21:27:28 EST

  • Next message: Steve Newcomb: "8539 obs nov 22"

    An hour after sunset, under a superbly clear sky, the ISS made a stunning, 69
    degree elevation pass, which I tried to track with my 10" Meade LXD55
    Schmidt/Newtonian, after downloading the freshest McCants TLE into the
    telescope's Autostar controller (I verified that it was identical to the latest
    OIG TLE).  As with a lower elevation pass several days ago, Autostar indicated
    an "AOS" about a minute later than the rise time given in my NASA J-Pass email
    report.  The telescope basically seemed to follow the path of the ISS, but
    delayed by that amount of time- which is to say, it didn't work!
    
    I had my latitude/longitude entered into the scope accurate to better than 100
    meters, and the time accurate to better than 1 second of atomic time, and
    apparently the scope was well aligned with the NCP.
    
    I may have another chance Monday, in which case I'm inclined to fudge the
    telescope time by the difference in rise time computed by Autostar & NASA.
    
    Any other suggestions?
    
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