Observations 26 Oct 2006:
----------------------------
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 75mm focal length f/2.5 lens,integrating for 96 frames
which is equivalent to an exposure of 1.92 seconds per image.
Approximate field of view 4.43 x 3.55 degrees.
For the last measurement the focal length was changed to 150mm
giving an approximate field of view of 2.40 x 1.89 degrees but
deeper magnitude penetration.
Site 0433 : Longitude 18.51294 deg East, Latitude 33.94058 deg S,
Elevation 10 metres - situated in Pinelands (Cape Town), South Africa
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012139300 56 15 0546598+300507 39 +085 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012142400 56 15 0548450+294415 39 +083 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012159200 56 15 0558218+274958 39 +075 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012232800 56 15 0615513+240525 39 +080 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012333000 56 15 0642574+175058 39 +080 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012542700 56 15 0727189+065440 39 +080 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012642800 56 15 0743094+030225 39 +081 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012813200 56 15 0803090-013909 39 +083 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026012911500 56 15 0814005-040533 39 +087 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026013041800 56 15 0828441-070804 39 +085 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026013143800 56 15 0837377-085550 39 +088 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026013244100 56 15 0845114-101553 39 +089 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026013412000 56 15 0855220-120308 39 +090 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026013512200 56 15 0901409-130404 39 +088 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026013720000 56 15 0913229-145000 39 +087 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026014012800 56 15 0926520-163559 39 +089 05
29510 06 047A 0433 F 20061026014419800 56 15 0942304-182304 39 +081 05
Notes:
--------
(1) After having done the above measurements and seeing the excellant
agreement with the predictions supplied by HORIZON I am convinced
that what I saw was the actual STEREO spacecraft, but unresolved
as a result of the small image scale used. The first measurement was
done at a range of about 3100 kilometres and the last at about
11070 kilometres. The object/s was slowly varying in brightness
and I suspect this was due to the slow spin of the satellites.
Towards the end I could only see the brighter magnitudes.
Unfortunately cloud packed in solid after I had changed the
telephoto lens focal length but I did continue tracking until
a range of about 22000 kms or so - I have still to examine the
DVD recording during this period so may have yet another observation
but I doubt it. One of the brighter spells of the satellite
may have got as bright as magnitude +6.5 or so shortly after the
pass started.
(2) The observations above are, as I always do, reported in IOD format.
The format is described at
http://www.satobs.org/position/IODformat.html
Cheers
Greg
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