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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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CASTOR conducted its last sweep of the skies for undetected MEO and GEO satellites for this year. It found 2 new GEOs and five new MEOs, including the Russian geosynchronous Cosmos 2397 satellite, several Russian and American rockets and the MaqSat B dummy satellite launched by the ESA.
CASTOR's total now stands at 3,028 unique satellites. It has detected 975 satellites in the IYA.
Only 25 satellites remain to reach the IYA goal of 1,000.
The incredible journey is near its end.
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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CASTOR grabbed another 5 satellites on the nights of October 18 and 19 to bring its grand total to 3,033 satellites.
The satellite that is #3031 in the catalogue is of particular interest to us Canadians. It is Alouette 1, the first Canadian satellite. I feel particularly honoured to have detected such a satellite: something that extremely few Canadians have ever done.
The other four satellites detected were the Russian Cosmos 890 and Cosmos 982 satellites, a Russian SL-11 rocket and the Russian "Informator 1", the prototype satellite of the failed "Koskon" communications system.
Only 20 satellites remain to reach the 1,000 satellite goal for the IYA!!!
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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At 03:45:50.670 UTC October 26, 2009; exactly 297 days, 5 hours, 20 minutes, 7.42 seconds after it began, CASTOR has finally detected its 1,000th satellite of the IYA year!
The satellite itself is of a sensitive nature for two reasons: one, it is probably classified, two it is unidentified. The satellite does not seem to be tumbling, which does not necessarily mean that it is still active. However, its orbit is geosynchronous and inclined, thereby suggesting that it is no longer active.
To date, CASTOR has detected a total of 3,057 satellites since January 1, 2007 and 1,004 satellites since January 1, 2009.
One such satellite that was detected on October 25 was the Celestis 03 (Taurus Rocket Body). Some might better recognize this payload as the Millennium Flight, in which ashes from the diseased are lofted into space. CASTOR detected Celestis 02 (the Ad-Astra Flight) in 2007.
CASTOR will continue to detect satellites for the IYA until the end of December, however, not at such a frantic rate. It will also stick to low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites for the remainder of the year.
Thanks to the many people that have been monitoring this thread for the past year. The satellite totals will be updated on this page (and on www.castor2.ca) until January 1, 2010.
I certainly did not expect over 9,000 hits!
Thank You.
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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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ottovonrotton
member
Reged: 01/01/09
Posts: 65
Loc: Where is Port Perry?
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Whoo who!, Congrates Michael, job well done.
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Go Modern, Go Gas, Go Bang!
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Quote:
Whoo who!, Congrates Michael, job well done.
Thank you very much. At least one person is watching. 
I am wondering if anyone else (other than NORAD or possibly the Russian space agency) has actually detected as many satellites (3,057) as CASTOR has. I know no one else in Canada has. That includes the military. If not, the obvious question now is: why not?
If I can detect so may satellites, it is a good bet that others can as well. If we can detect them, we can track them. If we can track them, we can contribute to the international community.
Seriously, there is so much potential in this subject, yet so many refuse to see it. If I can do all this, just imagine what a large worldwide team of dedicated professionals such as myself can do for satellite tracking as a whole.
My web site has the proof that I have detected all of thse satellites, in the form of time tagged images. All you need to do is pick any random image and check it out with a TLE from that same time.
If you find any mistakes, please let me know. I will make sure to correct them.
Thanks to everyone who has been monitoring this thread. Updates are still coming as I find more satellites this year!
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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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ottovonrotton
member
Reged: 01/01/09
Posts: 65
Loc: Where is Port Perry?
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Michael, you are one of a kind, only a CANADIAN could come up with this, very good work.
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Go Modern, Go Gas, Go Bang!
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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While looking at the Moon and Jupiter, I also took some time to detect a few more GEO and MEO satellites.
Three new satellites were detected, none of which were Russian or American!
One was the French TeleCom 2C communications satellite. The second was the ArabSat 1A communications satellite and the third was a Chinese CZ-3A rocket. All three are inactive. The ArabSat 1A satellite is tumbling wildly, as its light curve suggests.
The CASTOR Satellite Catalogue now stands at 3,060 objects; 1,007 of which were detected during the IYA.
More to come!
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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With the clouds seemingly never-ending, I managed to get a few more LEO satellites out of an unusually clear night.
Both satellites were Russian: Cosmos 2439 and an SL-14 rocket.
This brings the catalogue to a total of 3,062 satellites, 1009 of which were detected during the IYA.
The story continues...
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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One American DMSP payload and one Russian SL-6 rocket body were detected to bring the total detected to 3,064 satellites; 1,011 of which were detected during the IYA.
This week looks very favorable for additional detections.
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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Nearly one year ago, I began this thread with no idea if anyone would even read it.
It began with a challenge, to myself, to detect 1,000 satellites to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy.
Today, not only can I say that I have done just that, but also that the simple thread I started has over 10,000 hits! Yes, some of those are mine, but I never expected so many people to look at this thread, not to mention those who asked questions about the project and gave their well wishes.
As a final request for this thread (as the IYA is drawing to a close), I wonder if those who have read it in the past, present and in the future leave a little message in the thread, just so I can know who has been so supportive of it over the past year. I guess you could call it a guestbook of sorts.
For everyone who looked at this thread for the past year, a heart-felt thank you.
My satellite catalogue now stands at 3,069 unique satellites. I found 5 more last night.
The adventure continues...
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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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Dave Mitsky
Postmaster
Reged: 04/08/02
Posts: 10494
Loc: PA, USA, Planet Earth
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Michael,
I've been checking in from time to time. Congrats!
Dave Mitsky
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Chance favors the prepared mind.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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The evening of November 10th brought 5 new satellites for CASTOR: 3 Russian Cosmos payloads, one American classified rocket and one unknown object.
The CASTOR Satellite Catalogue now stands at 3,069 satellites: 1,016 of which were detected during the IYA.
I am expecting to reach a total of 3,100 by the end of this year. If I can, I have not reached the end and might have to conjure up a third detection challenge.
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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After conducting an astronomy class north of Brockville, I decided to attempt to detect very low geosynchronous satellites just above the eastern horizon.
CASTOR was able to detect an additional 31 new satellites: mainly those satellites servicing Europe and northern Africa.
That night, CASTOR detected GEO satellites from IntelSat, the United Kingdom, EuTelSat, InMarSat, USA, Russia, Egypt, France, China, India and NATO.
The Egyptian GEO satellites were NileSat and NileSat 102, both parked just 7 degrees west of the Greenwich Meridian. Both satellites were just 6 degrees above CASTOR's eastern horizon and might mark the eastern boundary of the geostationary belt that can be detected by CASTOR.
At the present time, CASTOR has detected a total of 666 GEO satellites, which is 2/3 of the entire catalogued GEO population! To see the rest, CASTOR would have to be on the opposite side of the Earth from where it is now.
CASTOR also detected two low elevation Navstar GPS satellites (mid-Earth orbit) and a French Ariane 5 rocket.
CASTOR's catalogue now stands at exactly 3,100 satellites.
The adventure continues...
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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CASTOR detected 4 unknown (U.S.?) classified satellites tonight, bringing its total number detected to 3,104; 1,051 of which were detected during the IYA.
The weather is getting colder for the equipment and as soon as the snow falls here, the telescope will be hibernating for the winter. The CCD wide field camera will still be detecting the Low Earth orbiting satellites until December 31st.
I am beginning to doubt that the catalogue will reach 3,200 satellites by the end of the IYA, but I have been surprised before.
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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: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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CASTOR detected 5 new satellites last night, bringing its total detected to 3,109; 1,056 of which were detected during the IYA.
The five satellites were the now inactive NOAA 16 environmental satellite, a Russian SL-3 rocket, an old piece of debris from an American Thor Agena D rocket, the Russian Cosmos 1199 satellite and a quickly decaying Russian SL-12 auxilliary motor.
This is turning out to be a very memorable November.
The adventure continues tonight (another clear 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
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Michael A. Earl
vendor- Canadian Satellite Tracking and Orbit Research
Reged: 11/17/08
Posts: 1113
Loc: Brockville, Ontario, Canada
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CASTOR detected 10 new satellites tonight, bringing its total detected to 3,119; 1,066 of which were detected during the IYA.
The satellites are mainly old rockets from Russia and the USA, however the old GPS satellite NavStar 5 and the geosynchronous InMarSat 4-F3 satellites were also detected.
Clouds move in tomorrow afternoon. Until the next clear break...
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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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