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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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