Challenges

Astronomy, Astrophysics, Astrometry, Astrodynamics, AAAA

I Like to Watch

Challenge Info

We've captured data from a satellite that shows a flag located at the base of the Washington Monument.
The image was taken on March 26th, 2020, at 21:54:29
The satellite we used was:

REDACT
1 13337U 98067A   20087.38052801 -.00000452  00000-0  00000+0 0  9995
2 13337  51.6460  33.2488 0005270  61.9928  83.3154 15.48919755219337

Use a Google Earth Pro KML file to 'Link' to http://18.191.77.141:6723/cgi-bin/HSCKML.py
and 'LookAt' that spot from where the satellite when it took the photo and get us that flag!

Notes

TLE Coordinates
Need this file
Need to use Skyfield for Python
Washington Monument is at -77.03527 Longitude and 38.88948 Latitude

Scripts

Get Satellite Location at Time

from skyfield.api import EarthSatellite, load

ts = load.timescale()
line1 = "1 13337U 98067A   20087.38052801 -.00000452  00000-0  00000+0 0  9995"
line2 = "2 13337  51.6460  33.2488 0005270  61.9928  83.3154 15.48919755219337"
satellite = EarthSatellite(line1, line2, 'REDACT', ts)

t = ts.utc(2020, 3, 26, 21, 54, 29)
geocentric = satellite.at(t)
print(geocentric.position.km)

subpoint = geocentric.subpoint()
print('Latitude:', subpoint.latitude)
print('Longitude:', subpoint.longitude)
print('Elevation (m):', int(subpoint.elevation.m))

Something

from skyfield.api import EarthSatellite, Topos, load

ts = load.timescale()
t = ts.utc(2020, 3, 26, 21, 54, 29)

line1 = "1 13337U 98067A   20087.38052801 -.00000452  00000-0  00000+0 0  9995"
line2 = "2 13337  51.6460  33.2488 0005270  61.9928  83.3154 15.48919755219337"

monument = Topos(latitude='38.8894 N', longitude='77.0352 W')
satellite = EarthSatellite(line1, line2, name='REDACT')

geometry = satellite.at(t)

subpoint = geometry.subpoint()
latitude = subpoint.latitude
longitude = subpoint.longitude
elevation = subpoint.elevation

difference = satellite - monument
geometry = difference.at(t)

print(difference)
print('--------------')

alt, az, distance = geometry.altaz()
print('alt: ', alt)
print('az: ', az)
print(int(distance.m), 'm')

References

Resources

HAS Resources