Optical 15 Oct 2008

From: Greg Roberts (grr@telkomsa.net)
Date: Thu Oct 16 2008 - 13:16:03 UTC

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    Observations 15 Oct 2008
    --------------------------------
    
    Cosatrak 1 (Computerised satellite Tracking System).
    Camera mount now carries two systems that can be operated
    together as two totally different sytems and computers used.
    Generally the DSI Pro II camera will be used for high altitude
    slow moving objects. Tests seem to indicate that its sesnitivity
    is comparable to the MINTRON ( possibly better) but as its not
    possible (?) to time stamp to better than 1 second accuracy the
    time resolution is not good enough for LEO objects.
    
    (1) 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 135mm focal length f/2.8 lens,integrating for 128 frames
    which is equivalent to a max exposure of 2.56 seconds maximum
    per image. Field of view 2.7 x 2.1 degrees.
    Individual frames are video time stamped with GPS derived signal.
    
    (2)Meade DSI Pro II Monochrome CCD camera without filters.
    using integration times of 4 sec min to 30 seconds maximum
    depending on brightness of sky in particular area.
    Used with 200mm focal length f/2.8 Nikkon telephoto lens,
    field of view 1.88 x 1.40 degrees. Can get to magnitude 13
    or so in less than 20 seconds exposure.
    Exposure time to nearest second inserted into image FITS header
    from PC clock which is automatically checked every minute against
    GPS signal.
    
    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:
    ----------------------------- 
    25148 98 005A   0433 P 20081015184056900 56 15 2242251+350844 39  +085 05
    25148 98 005A   0433 P 20081015184309600 56 15 2301257+311109 39  +080 05
    25148 98 005A   0433 P 20081015184432300 56 15 2315353+280942 39  +078 05
    25148 98 005A   0433 P 20081015184646100 56 15 2343432+215946 39  +075 05
    21775 91 076A   0433 P 20081015203332600 56 15 1819198-372105 39  +085 05
    21775 91 076A   0433 P 20081015203611000 56 15 1915220-302319 39  +080 05
    21775 91 076A   0433 P 20081015203936000 56 15 2013366-190221 39  +080 05
    24680 96 072A   0433 P 20081015194010100 56 15 0709118-601533 39  +060 05
    24680 96 072A   0433 P 20081015194038900 56 15 0644445-611337 39  +055 05
    24680 96 072A   0433 P 20081015194126600 56 15 0553567-620713 39  +050 05
    24680 96 072A   0433 P 20081015194229300 56 15 0428390-603441 39  +065 05
    28537 05 004A   0433 P 20081015175646400 56 15 1406467-515403 39  +050 05
    28537 05 004A   0433 P 20081015175847100 56 15 1557037-504324 39  +050 05
    28537 05 004A   0433 P 20081015180003000 56 15 1725110-433530 39  +045 05
    28541 05 004C   0433 P 20081015175646400 56 15 1401485-520610 39  +050 05
    28541 05 004C   0433 P 20081015175847100 56 15 1550473-513010 39  +050 05
    28541 05 004C   0433 P 20081015180003000 56 15 1719462-445948 39  +045 05
    20355 89 090B   0433 P 20081015174512000 56 15 0152079-031039 39  +095 05
    20355 89 090B   0433 P 20081015175031000 56 15 0157366-025427 39  +095 05
    28500 04 050A   0433 P 20081015181133000 56 15 0021361+043446 39  +065 05
    28500 04 050A   0433 P 20081015181708000 56 15 0029511+041223 39  +095 05
    29240 06 024A   0433 P 20081015193324000 56 15 1937201+040922 39  +075 05
    29240 06 024A   0433 P 20081015192923000 56 15 1933103+041109 39  +105 05
    28546 04 050B   0433 P 20081015194854000 56 15 1914399+161840 39  +110 05
    28546 04 050B   0433 P 20081015195123000 56 15 1916438+161521 39  +110 05
    15543 85 010B   0433 P 20081015195637000 56 15 0246104+081925 39  +105 05
    15543 85 010B   0433 P 20081015195908000 56 15 0248354+083016 39  +105 05
    28117 03 057A   0433 P 20081015200402000 56 15 0254178+070533 39  +110 05
    28117 03 057A   0433 P 20081015200722000 56 15 0257397+070632 39  +110 05
    25967 99 063A   0433 P 20081015200837000 56 15 0300595+052603 39  +110 05
    25967 99 063A   0433 P 20081015201158000 56 15 0304194+052744 39  +110 05
    22787 93 056A   0433 P 20081015202009000 56 15 2358376+001630 39  +110 05
    22787 93 056A   0433 P 20081015202332000 56 15 0002016+002026 39  +110 05
    23967 96 042A   0433 P 20081015204658000 56 15 2035574+011017 39  +120 05
    23967 96 042A   0433 P 20081015205225000 56 15 2041259+011008 39  +115 05
    25501 98 058A   0433 P 20081015205601000 56 15 2127282+022237 39  +110 05
    25501 98 058A   0433 P 20081015210128000 56 15 2132500+022408 39  +110 05
    14675 84 009A   0433 P 20081015210344000 56 15 2244582+035426 39  +100 05
    14675 84 009A   0433 P 20081015210612000 56 15 2247429+035952 39  +100 05
    19976 89 035A   0433 P 20081015210807000 56 15 0204589+064455 39  +100 05
    19976 89 035A   0433 P 20081015211034000 56 15 0206597+064805 39  +100 05
    27938 03 041B   0433 P 20081015211159000 56 15 0035217+040453 39  +090 05
    27938 03 041B   0433 P 20081015211426000 56 15 0037504+040209 39  +090 05
    26635 00 080A   0433 P 20081015211549000 56 15 2159169+024302 39  +110 05
    26635 00 080A   0433 P 20081015211817000 56 15 2201442+024400 39  +110 05
    27168 02 001A   0433 P 20081015212003000 56 15 0105025+042526 39  +095 05
    27168 02 001A   0433 P 20081015212230000 56 15 0107304+042650 39  +095 05
    23223 94 054A   0433 P 20081015212650000 56 15 2051571+000124 39  +105 05
    23223 94 054A   0433 P 20081015212423000 56 15 2049302+000206 39  +105 05
    25336 98 029A   0433 P 20081015212932000 56 15 0219426+082627 39  +080 05
    25336 98 029A   0433 P 20081015213136000 56 15 0221440+083040 39  +080 05
    22915 93 074A   0433 P 20081015213933000 56 15 0325175+025821 39  +120 05
    22915 93 074A   0433 P 20081015214329000 56 15 0329145+030242 39  +120 05
    26575 00 065A   0433 P 20081015214524000 56 15 2219127+051740 39  +110 05
    26575 00 065A   0433 P 20081015214835000 56 15 2222238+051811 39  +110 05
    27691 03 008A   0433 P 20081015215149000 56 15 0351242+051500 39  +110 05
    27691 03 008A   0433 P 20081015215442000 56 15 0354186+051505 39  +110 05
    
    Strays seen:
    ---------------
    ATLAS CENTAUR ROCKET, range 14380 kms
    09329 76 073B   0433 P 20081015183929800 56 15 2231354+371029 39  +050 05
    CZ-3 R/B   range 12860 kms, variable easy
    23944 96 039B   0433 P 20081015175031000 56 15 0157273-025623 39  +070 05
    COSMOS 385
    04799 70 108A   0433 P 20081015181708000 56 15 0028395+043506 39  +055 05
    DELTA 2 R/B range 5420 kms
    33106 08 032B   0433 P 20081015180925000 56 15 0015338+052737 39  +060 05
    INTELSAT 902 geostationary
    26900 01 039A   0433 P 20081015180925000 56 15 0017141+051230 39  +095 05
    EKRAN 6 geostationary
    12120 80 104A   0433 P 20081015180925000 56 15 0014390+052043 39  +105 05
    INTELSAT 4 geostationary
    23636 95 040A   0433 P 20081015200837000 56 15 0259527+050602 39  +115 05
    HOTBIRD 1 geostationary, flasher
    23537 95 016B   0433 P 20081015205601000 56 15 2130409+024248 39  +075 05
    ARIANE 5 R/B range 23690 kms
    27832 03 028C   0433 P 20081015211159000 56 15 0033592+041302 39  +095 05
    THURAYA 2 geostationary
    27825 03 026A   0433 P 20081015212932000 56 15 0218007+080857 39  +110 05
    SL-12 R/B(2) geostationary
    28139 03 060D   0433 P 20081015213933000 56 15 0324515+025724 39  +120 05
    ATLANTIC BIRD geostationary - very close to DSCS 3-12 (#26575)
    27508 02 040A   0433 P 20081015214524000 56 15 2217346+051822 39  +110 05
    27508 02 040A   0433 P 20081015214835000 56 15 2220461+051846 39  +110 05
    INTELSAT 904 geostationary  - very close to DSCS 3-13 (#27691)
    27380 02 007A   0433 P 20081015215149000 56 15 0351483+051817 39  +110 05
    27380 02 007A   0433 P 20081015215442000 56 15 0354427+051821 39  +110 05
    
    NOTES:
    -------------
    (1) Despite a moon just one day past full, and somewhat hazy, quite a
        rewarding evening, despite tripping over a cable in the "dark" and
        putting the system out of action for about an hour whilst I repaired
        the damage. For several minutes I thought I had destroyed the camera
        as it would not work :-(( - terrible when one has BIG clumsy feet!
    
    (2) Two of the DSCS satellites were very close to commercial satellites so
        not 100% sure which is which but I think Ive identified correctly.
        Positions for the commercial satellites are provided in case I messed
        it up.
    
    (3) Next session I'll concentrate on the DSP and 96*** satellites.
    
    (4) The object called MiTEX produces bright flashes which makes me think it
        could be the rocket that launched MiTEX A and B ,rather than being the
        actual payload itself
    
    (5) DEL4DEM rocket is variable but visible all the time
    
    (6) DEL4DEM variable, being fainter than mag +12 for perhaps several
        tens of seconds. Not visible every image captured.
    
    (7) The UFO satellites are all easy and appear to be reasonably steady
    
    (8) VORTEX satellites are bright and "my ones" appear steady.
    
    (9) The DSCS satellites are not as bright as the UFO satellites but still
        easy and appear steady.
    
    (10) There may be slight variations in magnitude of the objects refered to
        as being steady - I dont see this as my images are integrated so only
        see the end result but the images are always there where indicates no
        large or long time variability cycle.
    
    
    Cheers
    Greg
    
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