Observations 02 Nov 2004:
--------------------------------
Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System), 1004x low
light level CCD surveillance camera (0.003 lux) with 145mm focal
length f/2.5 lens with focal length reducer, field of view
1.89 x 1.43 degrees.
Conditions good. Bit windy but otherwise okay
Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude 33.94058 deg S,
Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa
Part 1 of 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~
05679 71 110B 0433 G 20041102191247800 56 15 0514566-520716 39 S+081 05
05679 71 110B 0433 G 20041102191302400 56 15 0504357-491504 39 S+080 05
05679 71 110B 0433 G 20041102191341000 56 15 0442461-410802 39 S+079 05
08818 76 038A 0433 G 20041102190931000 56 15 2213083+013720 39 S+085 05
08818 76 038A 0433 G 20041102191013800 56 15 2225534-050807 39 S+077 05
08818 76 038A 0433 G 20041102191057400 56 15 2240413-124117 39 S+074 05
25615 98 055C 0433 G 20041102190229800 56 15 0839051-702312 39 I+065 05
25615 98 055C 0433 G 20041102190412300 56 15 0449154-681707 39 I+045 05
25615 98 055C 0433 G 20041102190543200 56 15 0229030-420715 39 I+052 05
18010 87 043F 0433 G 20041102185600200 56 15 2045561-425937 39 I+087 05
08835 76 038C 0433 G 20041102193509000 56 15 2040298+240229 39 S+078 05
08835 76 038C 0433 G 20041102193620900 56 15 2051006+175446 39 S+082 05
08835 76 038C 0433 G 20041102193654700 56 15 2056032+143942 39 S+089 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192029600 56 15 1838510-185314 39 I+082 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192101700 56 15 1855415-163110 39 I+072 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192134400 56 15 1911592-140233 39 I+070 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192231500 56 15 1937357-094352 39 I+075 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192346100 56 15 2006238-042159 39 I+077 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192440100 56 15 2024170-004747 39 I+080 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192532800 56 15 2039370+022411 39 I+081 05
90025 04 800A 0433 G 20041102192704200 56 15 2102040+071531 39 I+082 05
28385 04 034B 0433 G 20041102194512900 56 15 0140590+100532 39 I+075 05
28385 04 034B 0433 G 20041102194617500 56 15 0145301+085427 39 I+078 05
28385 04 034B 0433 G 20041102200719900 56 15 0512395-254453 39 I+071 05
28385 04 034B 0433 G 20041102200833400 56 15 0538054-273821 39 I+068 05
20344 89 061D 0433 G 20041102203812600 56 15 0836159-715032 39 I+087 05
20344 89 061D 0433 G 20041102203933800 56 15 0803077-660820 39 I+086 05
20344 89 061D 0433 G 20041102204048600 56 15 0747319-611135 39 I+087 05
19460 88 078A 0433 G 20041102203545000 56 15 1236464-752012 39 R+078 05
19460 88 078A 0433 G 20041102203615100 56 15 1221448-792800 39 R+072 05
19460 88 078A 0433 G 20041102203701800 56 15 0951290-865037 39 R+067 05
28054 03 048A 0433 G 20041102202432900 56 15 1813487-431216 39 R+081 05
28054 03 048A 0433 G 20041102202541300 56 15 1856392-293709 39 R+074 05
28054 03 048A 0433 G 20041102202632500 56 15 1919065-184416 39 R+080 05
25261 98 017B 0433 G 20041102200140900 56 15 0815599-534624 39 S+074 05
25261 98 017B 0433 G 20041102200214700 56 15 0749052-533642 39 S+072 05
25261 98 017B 0433 G 20041102200242800 56 15 0723516-530057 39 S+070 05
25261 98 017B 0433 G 20041102200304500 56 15 0703028-520826 39 S+067 05
24680 96 072A 0433 G 20041102200348400 56 15 0645472-515140 39 S+066 05
24680 96 072A 0433 G 20041102200417600 56 15 0617590-495524 39 S+065 05
24680 96 072A 0433 G 20041102200430000 56 15 0605388-485152 39 S+064 05
24680 96 072A 0433 G 20041102200451000 56 15 0545471-464332 39 S+067 05
Comments:
~~~~~~~~
(1) Following satellites still to be measured:
#90013, Milstar 3, DMSP B5D1-4, DMSP B5C-04, DMSP B5D2-6, STEX,
DMSP B5D2-8, DMSP F16, Noss 8(E), DMSP 5DS-14, Noss 8(H)
(2) #90025 flared up to about magnitude +3 for about 20 seconds-quite
spectacular.
(3) Reason for #25261 (SPOT 1 Rocket) being reported is that I measured
it by mistake as I initially mistook it for USA 129 running a little
early. However the track taken eventually deviated enough from
USA 129's track that the computer program controlling the stepper
motors - CoSaTrak - moved to the predicted position of USA 129 after
which I tracked on the correct object. Another bright satellite that
causes confusion with USA 129 is Meteor-1 rocket.
(4) At the moment my system is working as well as it has ever worked-
the mount is now reasonably levelled and pointing accuracy is quite
good, so now its time to make some more improvements. One direction is
to go fainter - currently my magnitude limit is about +9.5 on
satellites. I have a telephoto lens (400mm f/5.5 ) which should get
me another magnitude at least but due to the narrow field of view
I will have to make a focal reducer which should improve matters as
well as produce a "faster" lens. My "private programmer", Willie
Koorts, is constantly making improvements to his CoSaTrak program
so the whole system is all becoming rather sophisticated.
(5) I hope to report the remaining observations tomorrow - so much to
do, so little time ! ( especially when one is as lazy as I am!)
Cheers
Greg
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