Observations 27 Sept 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 20 sec min to 60 seconds maximum
depending on brightness of sky in particular area.No image
processing done but dark field applied.
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:
==================
11397 79 053A 0433 F 20080927173536000 56 15 2246082-014831 39 +120 05
11397 79 053A 0433 F 20080927173954000 56 15 2250162-013252 39 +120 05
12046 80 087A 0433 F 20080927175310000 56 15 2118272-071136 39 +115 05
12046 80 087A 0433 F 20080927175605000 56 15 2121144-070334 39 +125 05
12046 80 087A 0433 F 20080927175957000 56 15 2125052-065306 39 +115 05
90073 07 569A 0433 F 20080927182301000 56 15 1622474-072932 39 +120 05
90073 07 569A 0433 F 20080927182914000 56 15 1629017-072602 39 +120 05
90074 06 585B 0433 F 20080927183258000 56 15 2108197-063352 39 +125 05
90074 06 585B 0433 F 20080927183504000 56 15 2110238-062707 39 +125 05
90074 06 585B 0433 F 20080927183740000 56 15 2112564-061914 39 +125 05
90074 06 585B 0433 F 20080927201652000 56 15 2248410-001838 39 +125 05
90074 06 585B 0433 F 20080927202134000 56 15 2253107+000110 39 +125 05
96025 96 525A 0433 F 20080927184551000 56 15 1819318-024807 39 +125 05
96025 96 525A 0433 F 20080927185204000 56 15 1826281-024434 39 +125 05
96028 96 528A 0433 F 20080927185816000 56 15 2326484-044200 39 +090 05
96028 96 528A 0433 F 20080927190258000 56 15 2331444-043214 39 +090 05
96011 96 511A 0433 F 20080927191550000 56 15 1914352-001217 39 +120 05
96011 96 511A 0433 F 20080927192118000 56 15 1920006-002138 39 +120 05
96011 96 511A 0433 F 20080927210547000 56 15 2105315-021114 39 +130 05
96011 96 511A 0433 F 20080927210858000 56 15 2108449-021321 39 +130 05
96039 96 539A 0433 F 20080927193920000 56 15 1941417-091654 39 +125 05
96039 96 539A 0433 F 20080927194403000 56 15 1946388-090922 39 +125 05
96082 96 582A 0433 F 20080927195101000 56 15 2309087+010304 39 +115 05
96082 96 582A 0433 F 20080927195512000 56 15 2314426+011718 39 +115 05
96050 96 550A 0433 F 20080927200710000 56 15 2016108-030044 39 +115 05
96050 96 550A 0433 F 20080927201407000 56 15 2023068-023734 39 +115 05
96060 96 560A 0433 F 20080927202558000 56 15 2214522-014236 39 +130 05
96060 96 560A 0433 F 20080927202937000 56 15 2217467-012324 39 +130 05
12339 81 025A 0433 F 20080927204528000 56 15 2242022-020123 39 +095 05
12339 81 025A 0433 F 20080927205301000 56 15 2249140-013300 39 +095 05
96071 96 571A 0433 F 20080927204709000 56 15 2245072-024415 39 +110 05
96071 96 571A 0433 F 20080927205301000 56 15 2251008-024321 39 +110 05
90005 99 804A 0433 F 20080927205933000 56 15 2103559-012856 39 +100 05
90005 99 804A 0433 F 20080927210245000 56 15 2107183-012348 39 +100 05
96098 96 598A 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2332285+045236 39 +130 05
96098 96 598A 0433 F 20080927212433000 56 15 2337015+051253 39 +130 05
21805 91 080B 0433 F 20080927214107000 56 15 1906202-051637 39 +130 05
21805 91 080B 0433 F 20080927214555000 56 15 1911128-052311 39 +130 05
Strays seen:
==============
EKRAN 6 geostationary, slow vary mag +10.5->+11.5
12120 80 104A 0433 F 20080927173536000 56 15 2244430-005754 39 +105 05
SBS 4 geostationary, mag +11 steady
15235 84 093B 0433 F 20080927175310000 56 15 2116379-072921 39 +110 05
FLEETSATCOM 3 geostationary, slow flasher mag+9.0 to invisible
11669 80 004A 0433 F 20080927182301000 56 15 1624176-080538 39 +090 05
CS3A geostationary, steady
18877 88 012A 0433 F 20080927183258000 56 15 2108333-061648 39 +105 05
GALS 2 geostationary, variable
23717 95 063A 0433 F 20080927191550000 56 15 1914166-002538 39 +100 05
23717 95 063A 0433 F 20080927210547000 56 15 2104476-022906 39 +105 05
YURI 1B geostationary, steady
21668 91 060A 0433 F 20080927200710000 56 15 2016222-033036 39 +120 05
21668 91 060A 0433 F 20080927201407000 56 15 2023159-033445 39 +120 05
KOREASAT 1 geostationary, steady
23639 95 041A 0433 F 20080927200710000 56 15 2014086-030124 39 +110 05
23639 95 041A 0433 F 20080927201407000 56 15 2021060-030845 39 +110 05
ARIANE 44P R/B, range 24430 kms, appeared steady
24892 97 040B 0433 F 20080927201652000 56 15 2245165+002444 39 +095 05
ASTRA 1A geostationary, steady
19688 88 109B 0433 F 20080927204528000 56 15 2239356-023242 39 +105 05
ARTEMIS geostationary, steady
26863 01 029A 0433 F 20080927204528000 56 15 2239409-021751 39 +100 05
INMARSAT 3F5 geostationary, steady
25153 98 006B 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2330423+053038 39 +105 05
HOT BIRD 5 geostationary, steady
25495 98 057A 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2333004+052609 39 +095 05
ARABSAT 3A geostationary,steady
25638 99 009A 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2334158+052332 39 +100 05
ARABSAT 4B geostationary,steady
29526 06 051A 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2335096+052420 39 +095 05
BADR 6 geostationary, steady
33154 08 034B 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2335196+052710 39 +095 05
INTELSAT 5 geostationary, steady
24916 97 046A 0433 F 20080927211950000 56 15 2335540+052533 39 +105 05
Notes:
------
(01) Not too bad a night - some cirrus towards end but by then I had had
enough observing so took some "pretty pictures" of astronomical
objects.
(02) 90074 "recovered" - last seen more than 2 years ago. Not an easy
object
(03) 96025-slight variability,amplitude probably less than 0.5 magnitudes
(04) 96011 - steady? - maybe small variation
(05) 96039 - variable, amplitude around 1 magnitude
(06) 96082 - variable,looks ligh small irregular variations
(07) 96050 - steady
(08) 96060 - slight variability
(09) 96071 - steady
(10) 96098 - appeared steady
(11) Tomorrow I will go through the DVD recording and measure the strays
recorded there - around about a dozen satellites of which one may be
an "unknown". I now mainly observe with the DSI imager and use the
DVD for leo/meo objects where I want a time resolution of better
than 1 second.
(12)Most number of satellites in field of view at one time was 7 .
Cheers
Greg
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