GET A "QSL CARD" FOR A SATELLITE!

Have you seen moving stars passing through your night sky and wondered what they were?

Are you an astronomer who has seen objects pass through your eyepiece's field of view on numerous occasions?

Are you an experienced astro-imager and wonder which satellites are streaking through your images?

If you answered "yes" to any or all of these questions, then you can have your own personal satellite identification e-mailed to you within 24 hours of asking!

If the object was indeed a satellite, there is a high probability that a positive identification of the object can be made!

The cost? Just $5 (USD) per object and you will most likely have an identification of the object(s) you saw!

Here is what you will receive with each positive satellite identification:

1)    The ID of the satellite, including the common name, CASTOR ID, NORAD ID and International ID Numbers;

2)    The satellite's launch date;

3)    The satellite's country of origin;

4)    The satellite's exact distance (range) from your location at the time of observation (in kilometres and/or miles); and

5)    The satellite's mission.

You can have CASTOR's 13 years of satellite tracking experience working for you! You will not need to download or install any new software or visit another website. All that is required is a simple e-mail to CASTOR.

E-mail addresses will not be used for solicitation.

What do you need to begin? When you report your observations, please provide CASTOR with the following minimum information:

1)    Your location (your city or town of residence will suffice);

2)    The time and date (accurate to within 30 seconds) that you saw the object;

3)    The portion of the sky that you saw the object at the time quoted. If you know the constellations, you can state which constellation or individual star the satellite passed through (or near) at the time specified. For those who are using telescopes, the object you were observing at the time will suffice (planet, asteroid, comet, Messier, NGC, etc.); and

4)    The approximate direction of travel (north to south, south to north, west to east, east to west, etc.). For those with images, sending them to CASTOR will be much more convenient! All images that CASTOR receives will not be used for any other purpose other than satellite identification. All images that are used on this site are placed there under the written permission by the specific observer(s).

For those who are more experienced observers, please feel free to send any additional information, including:

5)    Your exact geodetic coordinates (latitude and longitude on the Earth's surface);

6)    The approximate angular velocity of the object through your field;

7)    The apparent brightness of the object (magnitude scale will suffice);

8)    Any periodic variations in brightness of the object (such as tumbling); and

9)    The exact time (accurate to one second or less) of your observation.

To begin your adventure, please click on the "Buy Now" button below and send an e-mail to id (at) castor2.ca with your observation particulars. That's all there is to it! If a positive satellite ID has been made, you will receive your personal satellite ID within 24 hours of receipt of your inquiry. Select the number of satellites (up to 10) from the drop down list and click "Buy Now" to pay with PayPal or credit card.

Disclaimer: Although there is a good chance that the object can be verified as a satellite, there can be no guarantees that your object will be positively identified as a satellite. For instance, your object could be an aircraft, meteor or a bird. Please verify that the object appears star-like, it is moving in a straight line (does not turn suddenly or exhibit a curved path in the sky) and does not exhibit variable colors, such as a private plane's beacon lights would exhibit. Meteors tend to last a few tenths of a second and streak across the sky very quickly, whereas satellites can be seen to travel about a degree per second or more and can be seen for several minutes.

Number of Satellites

1 Satellite $5.00 2 Satellites $10.00 3 Satellites $15.00 4 Satellites $20.00 5 Satellites $25.00 6 Satellites $30.00 7 Satellites $35.00 8 Satellites $40.00 9 Satellites $45.00 10 Satellites $50.00