Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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As I am waiting for the clouds to finally get out of the way so that I can collect more data, I am still stuck at 2,146 satellites. February has not been kind!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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After a week's hiatus, I managed to pick up 7 new satellites tonight, making my total 2,153.
www.castor2.ca/13_Catalogue
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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I had a good haul of new LEO satellites over the clear spell from February 12 to 16. I thought I had found a piece of the Iridium 33 debris cloud but it turned out to be a low-flying Russian SL-6 second stage rocket.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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February has been a very nasty month! Tonight, I tried to track a few LEO satellites under an impressive clear spot amongst all the clouds. The clouds moved in within 10 minutes of my imaging commencing.
I did manage to detect two satellites, one of which was Cosmos 2428; a satellite I had not detected before. The other was GlobalStar M045, which I had detected many times in the past two years.
So, the number now stands at 2,169 satellites. My next opportunity is this Saturday.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
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Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 16352
Loc: Kuiper Belt
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Hi Michael,
During the course of your work, have you ever seen anything anomalous that could not be identified?
Best regards and clear skies,
MikeG
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
Meteorites, Moon Rocks, Mars Rocks, Tektites, Fossils, Minerals, Crystals, & Trinitite.
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
have you ever seen anything anomalous that could not be identified?
Hi Mike. This is a question I get from many people. So far, 28 objects in the catalogue are definitely uncorrelated satellites and 27 objects have been ruled out as satellites (meteors, birds, etc.).
Like the Messier and NGC catalogues before it, the CASTOR Satellite Catalogue has a few entries in which the objects do not exist.
I should make a new section on my web site called "UFOs" where people can go to see some objects that I could not correlate to any known satellites. Some I suspect are meteor streaks, others are birds, others are definitely satellites but of an unknown origin (classified?).
I can also place the tracking data from the unknown satellites so that others can identify them. I suspect there are very few people who would be able (or willing) to identify them, but I might get a few entries of the catalogue cleared up.
I also make a note of all the clusters, nebulae and galaxies in the images, just in case I stumble upon a comet that nobody has seen before. I suspect that I can detect comets as faint as magnitude 17, so since I am taking random areas of the sky, I might as well see if I'm a "lucky comet lottery winner" too!
Thanks for the question!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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On the final day of February, I managed to detect 10 new satellites, bringing my total to 2,179. So far, none of the collision debris was detected, but I am not optimistic about detecting such small pieces.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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After another very successful night, I have been able to detect another 8 LEO satellites, bringing my total up to 2,187.
I expect to hit 2,200 by the end of this week or sooner!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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I attempted to spot a few pieces of the Iridium 33 debris, but failed. Those pieces must be tiny! I did however managed to pick up another 9 satellites, bringing my total up to 2,196.
I will try again tonight, albeit with a 60% percent moon hovering overhead.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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I have finally reached the 2,200 mark! The current count is now 2,205.
The 2,205th object is unknown (could not be identified). It lies suspiciously close to the Iridium 33 debris orbit, however its orbit inclination seems slightly too low. Its altitude is under 300km, so if it is a piece of Iridium 33, it is not going to be around for long.
Right now, it is Unknown #29, but I will be keeping an eye on it to see if it is indeed a piece of Iridium 33.
Between 8:30 and 9 p.m. tonight, I will be trying for more Iridium 33 debris. Apart from "Unknown #29", no luck so far.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Another long stretch of miserable weather! Still stuck at 2,205, though I wouldn't say that number is a bad thing!
My next opportunity will be this Thursday night.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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I managed to get mainly clear skies one day early. I captured another 7 satellites to make my new total 2,212. Most were Russian, but also got one USA, one China and one India. Still no confirmed sighting of any collision debris.
The next several days look pristine! I might be able to finally get some of that debris!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Tonight, I detected another 11 satellites, bringing my total to 2,223.
Two of the new set are currently unknown, one of which looked too low in altitude to be a stable orbiting satellite. I suspect that it could be a sporadic meteor.
I have several days of amazing skies and I intend to use them! I hope to have a total of 2,250 by the end of this weekend.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Glassthrower
Vendor - Galactic Stone & Ironworks
Reged: 04/07/05
Posts: 16352
Loc: Kuiper Belt
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Michael, your satellite tracking and identification service has given me a good idea! 
It's off-topic, so I am sending you a PM. 
Best regards,
MikeG
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Michael Gilmer - Member of the Meteoritical Society & Collector of Falling Stars.
Meteorites, Moon Rocks, Mars Rocks, Tektites, Fossils, Minerals, Crystals, & Trinitite.
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Four Russian satellites and one American satellite detected make 2,228 satellites so far!
More tracking tonight!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Having detected about 20 satellites last night, only one of them was new: Bright debris from an American Delta 1 rocket.
More observing tonight!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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On St. Patrick's Day, I detected another 8 LEO satellites, bringing my total to 2,237.
Since January 1st of this year, I have detected a total of 184 satellites. I need to have 250 by the end of this month to be on track for 1,000 by the end of this year.
It looks like I will need to bring out the large telescope (11-inch) and capture some new MEOs and GEOs.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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The CASTOR Satellite Catalogue is now up to 2,244 individual satellites, including one piece of debris from the Iridium 33 / Cosmos 2251 collision. The piece has been catalogued as CSC #2239. It is NORAD #34078.
An exciting day!
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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A large haul tonight! Twelve new satellites, 6 of which are old Russian Cosmos military satellites.
Of the twelve, 10 are Russian, 1 is an OrbComm and one is a Chinese rocket. No Iridium 33 or Cosmos 2251 debris this time!
Since IYA's beginning, I have detected 203 new satellites. I am approaching the 250 required for the first quarter of the IYA.
My total is now 2,256 unique satellites since January 1, 2007.
The skies will be clear again tonight. Another report tomorrow.
www.castor2.ca/13_Catalogue
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1119
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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March has been very kind! 13 days of this month have been clear, which is amazing for this part of the world at this time of the year.
In March, CASTOR detected 91 new satellites, including one piece of the Iridium 33 debris.
The CASTOR Satellite Catalogue now has 2,271 satellites. After the rain ends, I will be dusting off the telescopes to do some MEO and GEO tracking. The number should increase dramatically shortly.
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Michael A. Earl - Vendor
Canadian Astronomy, Satellite Tracking and Optical Research
www.castor2.ca
Celestron NexStar 11 GPS
Celestron NexStar 8i SE
SBIG ST-9XE CCD
|
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