Ummm, sorry about the dust...you should be getting the second instalment in a couple of days. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Holdsworth" <robbonz1@xtra.co.nz> To: "Seesat List" <SeeSat-L@satobs.org> Sent: Saturday, September 26, 2009 6:25 PM Subject: Nice APT pass > This one might have Kevin making reservations to come down here :-) > > The APT in question was 28188 from Eutelsat W3A. > > Conditions had been excellent around sunset and in accordance with Murphy's > law they rapidly deteriorated thereafter with cloud (and possibly Australian > dust!) moving in to the extent that I was debating whether to try at all. > > However fortunately I did make the attempt with cloud breaking a little just > between the area of culmination and shadow entry. > > The object was predicted by Calsky to culminate at 2.6 mag but it appeared > much brighter than that and would have been difficult to see through cloud > at that mag. I was using binoculars but in better conditions this would > have been an easy object for 1x, probably around 0 or -1 mag. It could > almost be described as flaring! At culmination it was due to be about the > same height as the ISS orbits at, and anyone who didn't know better could > easily have mistaken it for that in the unlikely event they were observing > through the clouds! - (in fact there were no ISS passes due at the time in > question.) > > Exact timing not taken- oops!- but was difficult enough to do any > observation at all, with culmination predicted at 0736 and shadow entry at > 0738 UTC and likely this was correct. > > I think this is only about the second APT I have managed to see, missed > others for various reasons, but thanks Kevin for alerting us to these > objects with their nice fast speed when at or near perigee. > > A Resurs 1-4 flare was predicted just after this but cloud made this > impossible to check on- although even in better conditions I have not so far > picked any up. > > Any further attempts at satellite observation were abandoned owing to the > poor conditions. > > > Robert Holdsworth > Wainuiomata > New Zealand > 174.948E > 41.261S > > (currently UTC plus 12, in a few hours will be UTC plus 13!) > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4458 (20090925) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --- > Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: > http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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