Hello all, The satellite METOP-A can now be tracked at N2YO.com. Just follow this link: http://www.n2yo.com/?s=29499 Multi satellite tracking is available too (limit 5 currently for performance reasons). The current tracking list can be managed in any satellite details page. Any feedback is welcome! 73s de Chip N2YO -----Original Message----- From: Gerhard HOLTKAMP [mailto:grd.holtkamp@t-online.de] Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 4:52 PM To: SeeSat-L@satobs.org Subject: First Metop Observation and Prediction of Possible Metop Flares I just had my first glimpse of Metop through a gap in the clouds from my location at 49.8822 N, 8.6558 E, passing Alpha UMa at 19:56:37 UTC, 19-OCT-06. This was 5 sec later than predicted with the pre-launch state vector (a delay which was confirmed by a friend of mine at Eumetsat who had access to the telemetry; Metop is on a very good trajectory and so far no technical issues). Metop looked reddish and was about mag 5 which at 22 deg elevation and the phase angle of about 100 deg was to be expected. Metop should be an easy naked eye object at higher passes. Now that Metop has finally reached orbit we can check whether my theory on Metop flares is correct. Unfortunately due to the many delays you have to be above 53 deg. North to see flares (and even further North in a week or so or on the southern hemisphere). I'll have to wait until spring to get my chance! Here is a first prediction for some possible flare locations on Friday (20-OCT-06). Times are in UTC. These predictions were made with the original pre-flight state vector so I would expect a delay of maybe half a minute or more for those times. By tomorrow I hope to have accurate orbit data and be able to come up with better predictions. For the western outskirts of Moscow try to look at 17:54:25 (or a few seconds later depending on the actual orbit). Rostock, Germany would be at 19:35:26. On a line from Nykobing, Denmark at 19:35:41 to Holbaek west of Copenhagen at 19:36:00. In Norway try a line from Larvik at 19:37:08 to Kristiansund at 19:38:32. In all these cases look toward the North at 36 deg elevation or toward the Northwest at 31 deg (for the higher latitudes). These flare would come from the body fixed ASCAT antenna. At about those time two more ASCAT antennae will be deployed - maybe one can see some stray flares at other locations. Gerhard HOLTKAMP Darmstadt, Germany ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.6/486 - Release Date: 10/19/2006 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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