"Pseudo-MPEC" for 6Q0B44E
Created Wed Mar 07 09:11:55 2007 using Find_Orb
Most of the astrometry used on this page can be found on the
DASO
(Distant Artificial Satellite Observation Circulars) site, and/or on
the
astrometry distribution list .
You can get customized ephemerides for this object from the Minor
Planet Center's
Distant Artificial Satellites Observation page, or from
JPL's Horizons system.
(In both ephemeris systems, this object is called an "artificial
satellite". With the recent observations, the mass/area ratio looks to
be good to within about 10%, which makes me reasonably confident that
it is indeed a piece of space hardware.)
Attempts to include the May 2006 precovery observations cause the root-mean-square residuals to jump to about 16 arcseconds. That probably means this object has a variable mass/area ratio, depending on which cross-section of it happens to face the sun at a given time. We ran into this issue with J002E3, the leftover Apollo 12 rocket stage: a model with a constant area/mass ratio doesn't quite represent the data correctly. I don't know of a good solution to this problem. In theory, one might be able to model the object as a beer-can-like cylinder, and then compute where the polar axis is pointed. In practice, I haven't done that, and probably won't have time to do it at all soon.
This also makes it very hard to project the object's motion years back into the past and future. It's probably been in our neighborhood for at least a few years. I can't even say for sure if it's been orbiting the earth/moon system since it was launched, or (as J002E3 did) left us for a while, went into heliocentric orbit for a decade or two, and then came back. There are lots of unknowns right now.
Astrometry
Observing stations
Orbital elements
Residuals
Ephemeris
Astrometry:
6Q0B44E C2006 05 31.26084 16 11 03.54 +33 23 60.0 x D0078703
6Q0B44E C2006 05 31.27150 16 11 26.57 +33 25 38.6 x19.1 V D0078703
6Q0B44E C2006 05 31.28218 16 11 49.75 +33 27 11.8 x18.8 V D0078703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.29682 23 01 03.50 -09 47 17.1 19.4 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.30583 23 01 07.24 -09 49 24.0 18.9 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.31488 23 01 10.84 -09 51 29.5 19.6 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.32397 23 01 14.44 -09 53 34.1 19.1 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.40392 23 01 47.38 -10 11 06.9 18.7 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.40537 23 01 48.21 -10 11 26.2 19.1 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.40682 23 01 48.86 -10 11 46.3 19.9 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.40829 23 01 49.47 -10 12 04.1 19.2 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.46944 23 02 34.03 -10 25 54.7 20.0 R D0063673
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.47384 23 02 36.66 -10 26 49.2 D0063673
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.47964 23 05 21.02 -09 53 37.0 19.2 R D0063E12
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.48005 23 02 40.36 -10 28 03.7 D0063673
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.48588 23 02 43.99 -10 29 14.9 D0063673
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.66280 23 06 42.22 -10 36 02.1 19.2 R D0063E12
6Q0B44E C2006 08 28.66524 23 06 43.30 -10 36 32.8 19.4 R D0063E12
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.25074 23 18 49.34 -13 16 37.0 19.5 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.25730 23 18 52.45 -13 18 10.1 19.3 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.27045 23 18 58.66 -13 21 13.0 19.4 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.37022 23 19 38.61 -13 42 56.8 19.4 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.37424 23 19 40.14 -13 43 44.3 19.6 V D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.37828 23 19 41.73 -13 44 36.2 D0063703
6Q0B44E C2006 08 29.99762 23 31 31.22 -15 58 24.8 20.4 R D0064J95
6Q0B44E C2006 08 30.00672 23 31 36.44 -16 00 19.1 19.8 R D0064J95
6Q0B44E C2006 08 30.05132 23 32 02.94 -16 09 23.2 19.5 V D0064J77
6Q0B44E bC2006 08 31.08761 23 49 47.00 -19 28 14.0 19.5 R D0065204
6Q0B44E bC2006 08 31.09214 23 49 49.46 -19 28 59.6 D0065204
6Q0B44E bC2006 08 31.09668 23 49 51.82 -19 29 41.2 D0065204
6Q0B44E C2006 08 31.43485 23 56 53.50 -20 05 42.4 19.8 V D0065F84
6Q0B44E C2006 08 31.43948 23 56 54.86 -20 06 36.8 19.8 V D0065F84
6Q0B44E C2006 08 31.44757 23 56 57.24 -20 08 10.4 20.0 V D0065F84
6Q0B44E C2006 09 01.06169 00 07 09.40 -22 21 58.3 D0066204
6Q0B44E C2006 09 01.06736 00 07 12.21 -22 22 52.9 19.6 R D0066204
6Q0B44E C2006 09 01.07304 00 07 15.03 -22 23 47.5 D0066204
6Q0B44E tC2006 12 11.36695 07 15 49.42 -15 31 12.3 20.2 V D0076291
6Q0B44E tC2006 12 11.37256 07 15 50.33 -15 30 36.8 18.7 V D0076291
6Q0B44E tC2006 12 11.38316 07 15 51.98 -15 29 27.8 18.8 V D0076291
6Q0B44E C2006 12 12.37247 07 27 23.36 -13 36 26.6 19.7 V D0076G96
6Q0B44E C2006 12 12.41428 07 27 29.92 -13 31 32.7 19.3 V D0076G96
6Q0B44E tC2006 12 13.34205 07 38 50.50 -11 39 56.9 D0076291
6Q0B44E tC2006 12 13.35452 07 38 52.71 -11 38 32.4 20.5 V D0076291
6Q0B44E C2006 12 16.50646 08 13 51.56 -04 44 22.0 20.1 V G96
6Q0B44E C2006 12 16.50699 08 13 51.70 -04 44 16.8 20.0 V G96
6Q0B44E C2006 12 17.37340 08 25 09.76 -02 40 33.4 20.1 V D0077G96
6Q0B44E C2006 12 17.37461 08 25 09.98 -02 40 23.1 20.1 V D0077G96
6Q0B44E C2006 12 17.37515 08 25 10.09 -02 40 18.4 20.2 V D0077G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.25515 11 28 23.59 +31 17 30.6 19.2 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.25545 11 28 23.95 +31 17 36.6 19.2 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.25575 11 28 24.34 +31 17 42.6 19.2 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.25605 11 28 24.67 +31 17 47.7 19.2 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.28005 11 28 52.57 +31 25 13.0 19.0 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.28035 11 28 52.89 +31 25 18.7 19.1 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.28065 11 28 53.22 +31 25 24.0 18.9 V D0090G96
6Q0B44E C2007 03 07.28095 11 28 53.58 +31 25 29.3 19.0 V D0090G96
Station data:
(204) Schiaparelli Observatory (N45.8680 E8.7708). Observer L. Buzzi.
0.60-m f/4.64 reflector + CCD.
(291) LPL/Spacewatch II (N31.9617 W111.5991). 1.8-m f/2.7 reflector.
(673) Table Mountain Observatory, Wrightwood (N34.38176 W117.68087).
Observer W. M. Owen Jr. 0.61-m f/16 reflector + CCD.
(703) Catalina Sky Survey (N32.4168 W110.7320). Observers R. A. Kowalski, E.
J. Christensen, A. R. Gibbs, A.Odell. Measurers E. C. Beshore, E. J.
Christensen, G. J. Garradd, A. D. Grauer, R. E. Hill, R. A. Kowalski, S. M.
Larson, R. H. McNaught, A. R. Gibbs. 0.68-m Schmidt + CCD.
(E12) Siding Spring Survey (S31.2735 E149.0642). Observers E. J.
Christensen, G. J. Garradd, D. M. Burton, R. H. McNaught. Measurers E. C.
Beshore, C. M. Casey, E. J. Christensen, G. J. Garradd, A. D. Grauer, R. E.
Hill, S. M. Larson, R. H. McNaught, A. R. Gibbs, R. A. Kowalski. 0.5-m
Uppsala Schmidt + CCD.
(F84) Hibiscus Observatory, Punaauia (S17.6341 W149.6158). Observers N.
Teamo, S. F. Hönig. Measurer S. F. Hoenig. 0.35-m f/3.88
Schmidt-Cassegrain + 1392x1040 CCD.
(G96) Mt. Lemmon Survey (N32.4425 W110.7917). Observers E. J. Christensen,
A. R. Gibbs. Measurers E. C. Beshore, E. J. Christensen, G. J. Garradd, A.
R. Gibbs, A. D. Grauer, R. E. Hill, R. A. Kowalski, S. M. Larson, R. H.
McNaught, R. H. 1.5-m reflector + CCD.
(J77) Golden Hill Observatory, Stourton Caundle (N50.9310 W2.4053). Observer
R. Miles. 0.28-m f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain + CCD.
(J95) Great Shefford (N51.4749 W1.4469). Observer P. Birtwhistle. 0.40-m
f/6.0 Schmidt-Cassegrain + CCD.
Orbital elements:
6Q0B44E
Perigee 2006 Aug 18.330590 TT = 7:56:03 (JD 2453965.830590)
Epoch 2006 Sep 1.0 TT; AMR 0.027324 m2/kg Find_Orb
M 61.57138 (2000.0) P Q
n 4.50431913 Peri. 124.27303 0.22886824 0.93028788
a783761.758km Node 153.84958 -0.95844055 0.16381699
e 0.2541432 Incl. 40.57635 0.17032626 -0.32822011
P 79.92d H 30.1 G 0.15 q 584573.970km Q 982949.546km
From 53 observations 2006 Aug. 28-2007 Mar. 7; RMS error 1.593 arcseconds
1 00000U 06244.00000000 .00000000 00000-0 00000-0 0 09
2 00000 40.5755 153.9423 2553023 125.2906 60.5241 0.01238786 03
Residuals in arcseconds:
060531 703( 733- 149-) 060829 703 .74- 1.3- 061211 291 2.3- .29+
060531 703( 735- 148-) 060829 703 .53+ 1.5- 061212 G96 .01- .92+
060531 703( 733- 147-) 060829 703 .51+ .97- 061212 G96 .36+ 1.4+
060828 703 .88- .32+ 060829 703 .30- .87+ 061213 291 .64+ 1.9+
060828 703 .16+ .98- 060829 703 .56- 1.7- 061213 291 .46+ 1.4+
060828 703 .21- 1.2- 060829 J95 1.5+ 1.4- 061216 G96 1.4+ 1.5-
060828 703 .21- 1.0- 060830 J95 1.1+ .55- 061216 G96 1.6+ 1.0-
060828 703 2.5- 1.9+ 060830 J77 2.6+ 2.7- 061217 G96 .99+ 2.2-
060828 703 .14- 1.1+ 060831 204 1.2- .21- 061217 G96 1.2+ 2.3-
060828 703 .51- .61- 060831 204 .69- .04- 061217 G96 1.5+ 2.3-
060828 703 1.7- .24+ 060831 204 2.0- 3.9+ 070307 G96 .20+ .64+
060828 673 .18+ .24+ 060831 F84 .56+ .56+ 070307 G96 .23+ .92+
060828 673 .64+ .53- 060831 F84 .31+ .23+ 070307 G96 .64+ 1.2+
060828 E12 .14+ .20+ 060831 F84 .58+ .13- 070307 G96 .29+ .59+
060828 673 .30- .49+ 060901 204 .33- 1.1+ 070307 G96 .39- .15-
060828 673 .46- .15- 060901 204 .26- 1.5+ 070307 G96 .68- .11+
060828 E12 .58- .48- 060901 204 .43- 1.3+ 070307 G96 .83- .02-
060828 E12 .37+ .02+ 061211 291 1.8- .91+ 070307 G96 .60- .15-
060829 703 .50+ .17- 061211 291 1.8- .43+
Ephemerides:
Date (TT) RA Dec delta r elong mag '/hr PA
---- -- -- ------------ ------------ ------ ------ ----- --- ----- -----
2007 11 30 03 12 28.702 -45 07 32.74 .00678 0.9888 111.5 21.7 5.95 48.2
2007 12 01 03 22 15.966 -43 29 59.53 .00675 0.9888 113.2 21.6 6.00 46.1
2007 12 02 03 31 33.547 -41 47 35.28 .00673 0.9888 114.9 21.5 6.08 44.0
2007 12 03 03 40 24.757 -40 00 08.25 .00669 0.9889 116.7 21.5 6.18 42.1
2007 12 04 03 48 52.738 -38 07 24.19 993729 0.9889 118.6 21.4 6.31 40.3
2007 12 05 03 57 00.473 -36 09 06.62 985844 0.9889 120.6 21.3 6.46 38.6
2007 12 06 04 04 50.798 -34 04 57.21 976918 0.9889 122.6 21.2 6.63 37.0
2007 12 07 04 12 26.436 -31 54 36.08 967025 0.9890 124.7 21.2 6.84 35.5
2007 12 08 04 19 50.018 -29 37 42.28 956247 0.9890 127.0 21.1 7.07 34.2
2007 12 09 04 27 04.117 -27 13 54.25 944675 0.9890 129.4 21.0 7.32 33.0
2007 12 10 04 34 11.274 -24 42 50.45 932407 0.9890 131.8 20.9 7.60 31.9
2007 12 11 04 41 14.025 -22 04 10.00 919551 0.9891 134.5 20.8 7.90 31.0
2007 12 12 04 48 14.940 -19 17 33.48 906220 0.9891 137.2 20.7 8.23 30.2
2007 12 13 04 55 16.642 -16 22 43.70 892533 0.9891 140.1 20.6 8.57 29.5
2007 12 14 05 02 21.852 -13 19 26.60 878613 0.9891 143.2 20.4 8.94 29.0
2007 12 15 05 09 33.433 -10 07 32.19 864583 0.9891 146.4 20.3 9.32 28.7
2007 12 16 05 16 54.440 -06 46 55.41 850566 0.9891 149.7 20.2 9.71 28.4
2007 12 17 05 24 28.186 -03 17 37.10 836683 0.9891 153.2 20.1 10.11 28.3
2007 12 18 05 32 18.321 +00 20 15.18 823046 0.9891 156.9 19.9 10.52 28.4
2007 12 19 05 40 28.931 +04 06 26.48 809759 0.9890 160.7 19.8 10.92 28.6
2007 12 20 05 49 04.670 +08 00 33.84 796914 0.9890 164.6 19.6 11.32 28.9
2007 12 21 05 58 10.946 +12 02 05.79 784590 0.9889 168.6 19.4 11.71 29.4
2007 12 22 06 07 54.198 +16 10 21.71 772847 0.9888 172.4 19.2 12.09 30.0
2007 12 23 06 18 22.341 +20 24 30.42 761731 0.9887 175.3 19.0 12.46 30.8
2007 12 24 06 29 45.508 +24 43 27.03 751267 0.9885 174.7 19.0 12.80 31.9
2007 12 25 06 42 17.129 +29 05 46.89 741484 0.9884 171.1 19.2 13.13 33.3
2007 12 26 06 56 14.941 +33 29 38.09 732443 0.9882 166.6 19.3 13.43 35.1
2007 12 27 07 12 01.604 +37 52 34.82 724248 0.9880 161.8 19.5 13.70 37.3
2007 12 28 07 30 05.637 +42 11 27.97 717006 0.9878 156.8 19.6 13.93 40.2
2007 12 29 07 51 02.782 +46 22 10.25 710798 0.9875 151.6 19.7 14.12 43.7
2007 12 30 08 15 36.578 +50 19 17.51 705664 0.9873 146.4 19.9 14.26 48.2
2007 12 31 08 44 35.958 +53 55 48.81 701608 0.9870 141.2 20.0 14.35 53.8
2008 01 01 09 18 46.166 +57 02 52.73 698599 0.9866 135.9 20.1 14.40 60.7
2008 01 02 09 58 28.234 +59 30 00.44 696574 0.9863 130.6 20.3 14.39 69.1
2008 01 03 10 43 07.247 +61 06 20.89 695449 0.9860 125.3 20.4 14.35 78.7
2008 01 04 11 30 47.207 +61 43 20.97 695116 0.9856 120.0 20.6 14.28 89.0
2008 01 05 12 18 26.902 +61 17 56.59 695457 0.9852 114.8 20.7 14.18 99.5
2008 01 06 13 03 05.218 +59 53 56.32 696347 0.9849 109.6 20.9 14.06 109.1
2008 01 07 13 42 46.401 +57 40 17.66 697662 0.9845 104.5 21.1 13.93 117.6
2008 01 08 14 16 55.864 +54 47 45.90 699281 0.9841 99.5 21.3 13.79 124.7
2008 01 09 14 45 55.044 +51 26 15.14 701100 0.9837 94.6 21.4 13.66 130.6
2008 01 10 15 10 29.703 +47 43 40.18 703028 0.9834 89.7 21.6 13.54 135.3
2008 01 11 15 31 29.453 +43 45 52.17 704999 0.9830 84.9 21.8 13.43 139.2
2008 01 12 15 49 38.675 +39 37 00.41 706973 0.9827 80.2 22.1 13.34 142.3
2008 01 13 16 05 34.053 +35 19 58.83 708935 0.9823 75.6 22.3 13.27 144.9
2008 01 14 16 19 44.946 +30 56 48.97 710904 0.9820 71.0 22.6 13.21 146.9
2008 01 15 16 32 34.663 +26 28 57.92 712925 0.9817 66.6 22.9 13.17 148.6
2008 01 16 16 44 21.828 +21 57 31.89 715071 0.9814 62.2 23.2 13.14 149.9
2008 01 17 16 55 21.549 +17 23 26.26 717435 0.9811 57.9 23.5 13.11 151.0
2008 01 18 17 05 46.349 +12 47 32.94 720126 0.9809 53.7 23.8 13.09 151.7
2008 01 19 17 15 46.875 +08 10 45.57 723260 0.9807 49.7 24.2 13.05 152.1
2008 01 20 17 25 32.421 +03 34 02.61 726951 0.9805 45.9 24.6 13.00 152.3
2008 01 21 17 35 11.323 -01 01 31.22 731300 0.9804 42.3 25.1 12.93 152.2
2008 01 22 17 44 51.242 -05 34 45.28 736388 0.9802 38.9 25.5 12.83 151.9
2008 01 23 17 54 39.385 -10 04 24.37 742270 0.9801 35.9 26.0 12.70 151.3
2008 01 24 18 04 42.688 -14 29 10.92 748974 0.9801 33.2 26.4 12.54 150.5
2008 01 25 18 15 07.968 -18 47 47.08 756498 0.9800 31.0 26.8 12.35 149.4
2008 01 26 18 26 02.068 -22 58 56.43 764815 0.9800 29.3 27.2 12.14 148.0
2008 01 27 18 37 31.972 -27 01 25.03 773879 0.9800 28.2 27.4 11.90 146.4
2008 01 28 18 49 44.895 -30 54 01.58 783624 0.9801 27.6 27.6 11.64 144.5
2008 01 29 19 02 48.302 -34 35 37.11 793972 0.9801 27.7 27.6 11.36 142.3
2008 01 30 19 16 49.855 -38 05 04.05 804832 0.9802 28.2 27.5 11.08 139.8
2008 01 31 19 31 57.219 -41 21 15.21 816108 0.9803 29.2 27.3 10.79 136.9
2008 02 01 19 48 17.711 -44 23 02.78 827697 0.9805 30.5 27.1 10.50 133.7
2008 02 02 20 05 57.716 -47 09 17.69 839490 0.9806 32.0 26.9 10.21 130.2
2008 02 03 20 25 01.856 -49 38 49.90 851381 0.9808 33.8 26.6 9.93 126.2
2008 02 04 20 45 31.888 -51 50 29.96 863264 0.9810 35.6 26.3 9.65 121.9
2008 02 05 21 07 25.413 -53 43 12.59 875044 0.9812 37.5 26.1 9.38 117.2
2008 02 06 21 30 34.614 -55 16 02.07 886636 0.9814 39.5 25.9 9.12 112.2
2008 02 07 21 54 45.432 -56 28 19.18 897966 0.9817 41.4 25.6 8.87 106.9
2008 02 08 22 19 37.680 -57 19 48.27 908971 0.9819 43.3 25.4 8.63 101.4
2008 02 09 22 44 46.427 -57 50 42.91 919594 0.9822 45.2 25.2 8.40 95.9
2008 02 10 23 09 44.552 -58 01 48.25 929784 0.9824 47.1 25.0 8.18 90.5
2008 02 11 23 34 05.870 -57 54 18.99 939492 0.9827 48.9 24.9 7.97 85.1
2008 02 12 23 57 27.963 -57 29 53.15 948670 0.9830 50.7 24.7 7.76 80.0
2008 02 13 00 19 34.050 -56 50 23.03 957270 0.9833 52.4 24.6 7.57 75.2
2008 02 14 00 40 13.582 -55 57 45.61 965242 0.9836 54.0 24.5 7.38 70.7
2008 02 15 00 59 21.782 -54 53 54.21 972538 0.9839 55.5 24.3 7.20 66.5
2008 02 16 01 16 58.545 -53 40 32.38 979107 0.9842 57.0 24.2 7.03 62.6
2008 02 17 01 33 07.146 -52 19 10.38 984898 0.9845 58.4 24.1 6.88 59.0
2008 02 18 01 47 53.031 -50 51 03.71 989861 0.9848 59.7 24.0 6.74 55.7
2008 02 19 02 01 22.861 -49 17 13.26 993949 0.9851 61.0 24.0 6.62 52.6
2008 02 20 02 13 43.808 -47 38 26.52 997116 0.9855 62.2 23.9 6.52 49.8
2008 02 21 02 25 03.088 -45 55 19.22 999321 0.9858 63.3 23.8 6.44 47.1
2008 02 22 02 35 27.668 -44 08 17.18 .00669 0.9861 64.3 23.7 6.38 44.6
2008 02 23 02 45 04.097 -42 17 38.10 .00669 0.9864 65.3 23.7 6.34 42.4
2008 02 24 02 53 58.422 -40 23 33.04 999806 0.9868 66.2 23.6 6.32 40.3
2008 02 25 03 02 16.168 -38 26 07.68 997828 0.9871 67.1 23.6 6.33 38.4
2008 02 26 03 10 02.347 -36 25 23.28 994744 0.9874 67.9 23.5 6.35 36.6
2008 02 27 03 17 21.497 -34 21 17.35 990536 0.9877 68.6 23.4 6.40 35.0
2008 02 28 03 24 17.735 -32 13 44.19 985192 0.9881 69.4 23.4 6.47 33.6
2008 02 29 03 30 54.820 -30 02 35.19 978699 0.9884 70.1 23.3 6.56 32.3
2008 03 01 03 37 16.211 -27 47 39.14 971049 0.9888 70.7 23.3 6.67 31.2
2008 03 02 03 43 25.134 -25 28 42.36 962233 0.9891 71.4 23.2 6.80 30.2
2008 03 03 03 49 24.641 -23 05 28.78 952240 0.9894 72.0 23.2 6.95 29.4
2008 03 04 03 55 17.661 -20 37 39.97 941061 0.9898 72.7 23.1 7.13 28.6
2008 03 05 04 01 07.051 -18 04 54.99 928680 0.9901 73.3 23.0 7.34 28.1
2008 03 06 04 06 55.639 -15 26 50.07 915079 0.9905 74.0 23.0 7.57 27.6
2008 03 07 04 12 46.265 -12 42 58.02 900231 0.9908 74.7 22.9 7.82 27.3
2008 03 08 04 18 41.831 -09 52 47.22 884109 0.9912 75.4 22.8 8.12 27.0