Satellite watching

Satellite watching
Skytrack long duration exposure of the International Space Station

Satellite watching or satellite spotting is a hobby which consists of the observation and tracking of Earth artificial satellites.[1] People with this hobby are variously called satellite watchers, trackers, spotters, observers, etc.

Amateur satellite spotting traces back to the days of early artificial satellites when the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory launched the Operation Moonwatch (1956), a program to enlist amateur astronomers in the effort to track Soviet sputniks, in an analogy with the World War II Ground Observer Corps program to spot enemy bombers. [2] Moonwatch was crucial until professional stations were deployed in 1958. The program was discontinued in 1975.

There are many planetarium and satellite tracking computer programs to aid satellite spotting.[1] More recently, accompanied by the development of Augmented Reality technologies, satellite watching mobile programs have been developed.[3]

In February 2008 the front page of The New York Times hosted an article about an amateur satellite watcher Ted Molczan in relation to the story about falling American spy satellite USA 193. American officials were reluctant to provide information about the satellite, and instead, Ted Molczan, as the article says, "uncovers some of the deepest of the government’s expensive secrets and shares them on the Internet."[4]

NASA's Orbital Information Group have been providing free information about over 10,000 objects in Earth orbit. Recently this has been identified as a security threat, and a pilot program was launched in 2008 to replace the OIG website with a US Air Force site with more restrictive access.[5]

Satellite watcher clubs

There are many satellite watcher clubs, which collect observations and issue awards for observations according to various rules.[1]

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Satellite tracker — or satellite tracking may refer to one fo the following*Systems for tracking satellites / space surveillance (see United States Space Surveillance Network) **Kaena Point Satellite Tracking Station **SPACETRACK *Satellite watching, a hobby… …   Wikipedia

  • Satellite Award du meilleur acteur dans un second rôle - Télévision — Les Satellite Awards du meilleur acteur dans un second rôle Série TV, minisére ou téléfilm sont des récompenses du cinéma et de la télévision américains décernées par The International Press Academy. Sommaire 1 Liste des gagnants et nominés 1.1… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Satellite Sentinel Project — Typ Non Profit Organisation Gründung 2010 Sitz Vereinigte Staaten   …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Satellite Blues — Infobox Single Name = Satellite Blues Artist = AC/DC from Album = Stiff Upper Lip B side = Let There Be Rock (Live Plaza De Toros Madrid 1996) Released = 2000 Format = CD Recorded = 1999 Genre = Hard rock, Blues Rock Length = 3:47 Label =… …   Wikipedia

  • Satellite Award du meilleur acteur dans un second rôle dans une série télévisée — Les Satellite Awards du meilleur acteur dans un second rôle Série TV, minisérie ou téléfilm sont des récompenses du cinéma et de la télévision américains décernées par The International Press Academy. Sommaire 1 Palmarès 1.1 Années 1990 1.2… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Satellite Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or TV Film — Winners and nominees= 2000s* 2000: James Woods Dirty Pictures **Andy Garcia **Louis Gossett Jr. **Bob Hoskins **Matthew Modine Flowers for Algernon * 2001: Richard Dreyfuss The Day Reagan Was Shot **William Hurt Varian s War **Ben Kingsley Anne… …   Wikipedia

  • Their Eyes Were Watching God — In diesem Artikel oder Abschnitt fehlen folgende wichtige Informationen: Vollständige Handlung Du kannst Wikipedia helfen, indem du sie recherchierst und einfügst …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 10e cérémonie des Satellite Awards — Satellite Awards Organisés par l International Press Academy Cérémonie Date …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Jeffrey A. Hoffman — Infobox Astronaut name =Jeffrey Alan Hoffman type =Astronaut nationality =American date birth =November 2, 1944 place birth =Brooklyn, New York occupation =Scientist selection =1978 NASA Group time =50d 11h 54m mission =STS 51 D, STS 35, STS 46,… …   Wikipedia

  • National Reconnaissance Office — Agency overview Formed 1961 Headquarters Chantilly, Virginia …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”