azel \*- obtain satellite predictions
predicts, in convenient form,
the apparent trajectories of Earth satellites
whose orbital elements are given in the
If a given satellite name cannot be read, an attempt is made to find it
in a directory of satellites maintained by the
the program types its full name,
and a sequence of lines each containing a time,
an azimuth, an elevation,
a distance, and a visual magnitude.
Each such line indicates that:
the satellite may be seen from Murray Hill at the
indicated azimuth and elevation, and that its distance
and apparent magnitude are as given.
Predictions are printed only when
the sky is dark (sun more than 5 degrees below the horizon)
and when the satellite is not eclipsed by the earth's shadow.
Satellites which have not been seen and verified will
not have had their visual magnitude level set correctly.
All times input and output by
are GMT (Universal Time).
The satellites for which elements are maintained are:
sla,|...|sll Skylab A through Skylab L.
Skylabs A and B are the laboratory and its rocket
the remainder are various other objects
attendant upon its launch and subsequent activities.
A, B, and probably K have been sighted and verified.
cop Copernicus I. Never verified.
oao Orbiting Astronomical Observatory.
fairly dim (typically 2nd-3rd magnitude), but elements are extremely accurate.
exp19 Explorer 19; seen and verified,
but quite dim (4th-5th magnitude) and fast-moving.
c103b, c156b, c184b, c206b, c220b, c461b, c500b
Various of the USSR Cosmos series; none seen.
7276a Unnamed (satellite # 72-76A); not seen.
The element files used by
at which the program begins its consideration of the satellite,
followed by a number of minutes and an interval in minutes.
If the year, month, and day
are 0, they are taken to be the current date (taken to change at 6 A.M. local time).
The output report starts at the indicated epoch and
prints the position of the satellite
for the indicated number of minutes
at times separated by the indicated interval.
This line is ended by two numbers
which specify options to the program governing
the completeness of the report; they are ordinarily
The first option flag suppresses output when the sky is not dark;
the second supresses output when the satellite is eclipsed by the
The next line of an element file is the full name of the satellite.
The next three are the elements themselves
(including certain derivatives of the elements).
The author should be consulted for more information.
/usr/jfo/el/* \*- orbital element files