Re: Nice APT pass

From: Gordon Prichard (gprichard@vtown.com.au)
Date: Sun Sep 27 2009 - 04:08:58 UTC

  • Next message: Peter Wakelin: "SATOBS 2009 September 26-27"

    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!)
    >
    >
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