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Satellite Tracking Question



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 13th 03, 01:49 PM
Malcolm Hayes
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Default Satellite Tracking Question

Whilst staying in France and watching the stars I happened to watch three
satellites running parallel with each other in an equilateral triangle
formation.

The location was around 4E 47 N, time around 22:45 UT. on 29th August 2003.
They were travelling in a southerly direction and disappeared when almost
directly overhead.

Anyone got any ideas what it might have been. Two bright and the third which
was following was less bright.

MalcolmX


  #2  
Old September 13th 03, 10:01 PM
Odysseus
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Posts: n/a
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Malcolm Hayes wrote:

Whilst staying in France and watching the stars I happened to watch three
satellites running parallel with each other in an equilateral triangle
formation.

The location was around 4E 47 N, time around 22:45 UT. on 29th August 2003.
They were travelling in a southerly direction and disappeared when almost
directly overhead.

Anyone got any ideas what it might have been. Two bright and the third which
was following was less bright.

I'm not sure about your specific sighting, but I've seen postings
here before referring to secret military satellites that fly in
threes, in polar orbits; they're known as NOSS "Naval Ocean
Surveillance Satellites". Try entering your location at the Heavens
Above website,

http://www.heavens-above.com/,

and search for "NOSS%" to get predictions of their passes -- look for
low magnitude numbers, as many of these objects are usually too faint
to see with the naked eye. Members of the NOSS 1 and 2 series seem to
be the brightest. Or you can just go to the all-satellites
daily-predictions page and work back to the date in question.

--
Odysseus
  #3  
Old September 13th 03, 10:01 PM
Odysseus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Malcolm Hayes wrote:

Whilst staying in France and watching the stars I happened to watch three
satellites running parallel with each other in an equilateral triangle
formation.

The location was around 4E 47 N, time around 22:45 UT. on 29th August 2003.
They were travelling in a southerly direction and disappeared when almost
directly overhead.

Anyone got any ideas what it might have been. Two bright and the third which
was following was less bright.

I'm not sure about your specific sighting, but I've seen postings
here before referring to secret military satellites that fly in
threes, in polar orbits; they're known as NOSS "Naval Ocean
Surveillance Satellites". Try entering your location at the Heavens
Above website,

http://www.heavens-above.com/,

and search for "NOSS%" to get predictions of their passes -- look for
low magnitude numbers, as many of these objects are usually too faint
to see with the naked eye. Members of the NOSS 1 and 2 series seem to
be the brightest. Or you can just go to the all-satellites
daily-predictions page and work back to the date in question.

--
Odysseus
 




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