Re: Satellite Identification Needed

"DaveOesper" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Given an accurate location, position, and time (as seen through a
telescope),
> is there a web site that will identify the satellite?
>
> We have the following unidentified satellite observation to report (on two
CCD
> images using a 24-inch telescope):
>
> Location: Erwin W. Fick Observatory
> 42 00 20.3 N, 93 56 38.3 W, 333 m
>
> Position:
> RA(2000) = 01 23 43
> DEC(2000) = -05 05 46
>
> Time:
> 11/19/03, 3:47:40 UT (+/- 10 seconds)
>
> We estimate the angular speed of the unidentified object as approximately
20
> arseconds per second of time.
>
> Any help in identifying this object would be most appreciated!

The final stage of the Ariane rocket that launched the Sicral and Skynet 4F
satellites in 2001, passed within 0.02 deg of the reported position, about
37 s prior to the reported time. Its angular velocity was 0.0061 deg/s,
close to the 0.0056 deg/s reported.

The object is 12 m in length and 2.6 m in diameter.

These were its 2-line orbital elements nearest in epoch to the observation:

1 26696U 01005C   03322.81306861  .00001148  00000-0  10599-2 0  5400
2 26696   6.8533 246.8309 7216193 275.7122  13.5846  2.32429261 23062

At the time of the observation it was at a range of 22,031 km. Based upon
its dimensions, range and illumination, tts predicted magnitude was about
11.

Ted Molczan