Stellarium fast objects ..

[ZeroID]

Recently I've noticed when I launch Stellarium I have a few high speed 'satellites' whizzing around at stupid speeds. They are definitely satellites, the icon is correct but they cross my screen repeatedly at about 1 second intervals. Stellarium Version 0.11.0 on XP sp3.
Anyone else had this phenomenon ?

[Barrykgerdes]

I assume they are near earth satellites and not UFO's

Stellarium has the satellite module loaded by default and updated every 72 hours. Some of these move quite fast and if you are using a small FOV they could probably cross the screen in a flash, particularly noticeable if your screen is being updated 70 times/sec

If they disturb you they can be turned off from the tool bar at the bottom

Barry

[ZeroID]

Thanks Barry, I know about the turn off capability but these are full screen 120* views that they whizz across, not small fov views. Seem to stop after about 5 minutes or so, maybe they've caught up with their current location :shrug:.
I'll try and get an ID on the culprit satellite, not easy at near light speed transit.:P

(Enterprise NCC 1701 approaching ?? :confused2: or Millenium Falcon maybe )

[chrisp9au]

I've only noticed one particular satellite that travels very fast, OPS 8180 (RADCAT)
circles the earth apparently once every 50 seconds or so.

www.infosatellites.com/ops8180-radcat-satellite-information-norad-6212.html

Seems to be on a permanent orbit, travels through Carina, Volans, Hydrus, Tucana, Sculptor, Aquarius, Pegasus and Lacerta at the moment

Cheers :thumbsup:

Chris

[OICURMT]

This satellite was supposed to re-entered last August... but there's still element data for it... :question:

Orbital period was 88 minutes, not 50 secs (which , by the way, is 2.8million kilometres per hour... so I think the 88 minutes, 27000kph, is more reasonable considering the earth's escape velocity)

I suspect that the TLE's in Stellarium are incorrect.

OIC!

<EDIT: Found it... http://www.satflare.com/track.asp?q=06212 >

[chrisp9au]

My timing was taken from the Stellarium display, so I would imagine you're correct!

Chris

[Barrykgerdes]

I noted a couple that covered 50 degrees in 10 secs but there are probably others.
Turn up the labels and get the names. Then look at the satellites.json and see the TLE's see when they were last updated. It could be rogue data.

Stellarium only displays the satellites from the data that is in this file so if there is an anomaly it will be in the data that is being downloaded.

OPS 8180 is a comms satellite and its data was last updated last July. I'd say the data is incorrect. I am not familiar with all the data in the TLE but if it contains orbital decay rates. Stellarium is probably generating a virtual orbit that is spinning around earth's core and the satellite probably re-entered and burnt up long ago.

Erase the satellites.json file and let the update generate a new file.

Barry

[mithrandir]

I can't find a decay record for that one. The TLE is:

OPS 8180 (STP RADSAT)
1 06217U 72076B 13030.13305829 .00000170 00000-0 41551-4 0 9714
2 06217 098.6583 065.8858 0011141 140.0683 252.9805 14.65102314143238

The epoch 13030.13305829 is on 2013 Jan 30 (UTC)

[ZeroID]

That would be a possible cause, I'll start digging and find it LOL. It's rate was about 3-4 secs per orbit.
I'll do the delete and reload.

[Barrykgerdes]

I deleted the satellite.json file that listed OPS 8180 and generated a new one.

This satellite is no longer listed. Problem solved!

Barry