Visual SAT-Flare Tracker 3D
Online
www.satflare.com - TUTORIAL
1.0 What you can do on
this web-site and with its online program
This website with its online software allows you to do all the
following things:
- Track in real time all known satellites orbiting
the
Earth.
- Track satellites for both future and past dates (you can
change the program time).
- See the satellite position and events by means of 3
different representations:
- On a detailed Google Map (both satellite and map views),
which allows you to accurately find out locations where some events
can be observed
. 
- On a 3D perspective, which helps you to understand the
satellite position and orbit around the globe
- On a customized sky-chart, which shows you in which part
of the sky the satellite can be observed from your location
- Obtain accurate data about the satellite through a real
time panel, such as: latitude, longitude, right ascension, declination,
visual magnitude, elevation, azimuth, etc...
- Predict satellite visibility (passes): the program can
tell you when and how the satellites can be observed from your
location, providing their trajectory among stars along with times and
brightness.
- Predict satellite flares (both solar and lunar), and find
out the best locations to observe the maximum of these events. A
satellite flare occurs when its reflecting surfaces (e.g. antennae,
solar panels, etc..) reflect the solar light (or lunar) toward the
observer location. During a flare the observer can see the satellite
becoming very bright for a few seconds (in some cases even for some
minutes). Some satellites can flare so brightly that they become
visible even during day time.
- Predict satellite transit across either the Sun or Moon
disk and find out the best locations to observe these events.
During transits, the observer can see the satellite passing in front of
the Sun or the Moon.
- Follow special events (such as: satellite launch, satellite
re-entries), which may be managed by either the site
administrators or by other users.
In some occasions, high interest objects may be tracked as
well even if they are not orbiting the Earth, such as: asteroids,
comets.
- Share your observations and comments related to a specific
satellite (or group of satellites) or events through the message board.
- Set-up your list of favourite satellites and
track them all simultaneously. Your list is automatically
loaded when you enter the site.
- Report satellite observations
(e.g. flares or flashes, or a simple observations), which may
help to create new satellite models and to predict future events.
- Search for satellite reports (e.g. observed flares,
flashes, etc...) and simulate the events by means of the online
software. Currently our DB contains more than 8500 reports and new ones
are added almost daily.
- Identify an observed satellite by means of the sky-chart
and an assisted procedure.
- Search a satellite by either its name or orbital parameters through an advanced search form.
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