Japanese H2A rocket Image 2008/10/11(UT)
Ralf Vandebergh
R.Vandebergh
| Ralf Vandebergh(250mm Newton) |
2008/10/11_Japanese H2A rocket observation This is not my first observation of a Japanese H2A rocket,some of you may remember my attempts and images earlier this year.The problem with most rocket bodies is that the larger,longer pieces are mostly in higher orbits and those in lower orbits are often very small showing just very small disks. There are a few rockets of the H2A class with dimensions of 13.5x2.5 meter in considerably lower orbits.This must make it possible to recognise at least some elongated shape.In practice worked out to be a very difficult observation.On October 11,there was a favourable pass of the IGS-1 H2A 2024 rocket,carrier of the IGS-Optical 1 and IGS-Rader 1 satellites.(82°pass) at an altitude of 478.7km overhead.I searched as always for frames with clear elongation in the not-move direction.As seeing was not very favourable it must match with a catch and a good seeing as I track manually.This is an extra difficulty but succeeded again.At all the 4 frames of the catch-moment there was clearl a brighter elongated lob and a darker lob.If you see a launch image of this 2-stage rocket you see that there are indeed very dark parts in the upper stage which can cause easily such a brightness difference:
[バンディバ:オランダ] [Ralf Vandebergh:Neighbourhood of Maastricht Netherlands]
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