IGY Bulletin, Number 6, December 1957 - Moonwatch observing methods

This short article in issue #6 of the IGY Bulletin (December, 1957) is an extension of the previous piece.

Moonwatch stations for visual observations of satellites were coordinated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, organized by noted astronomer Fred Whipple despite some opposition from professional astronomers. The basic principle was to create a "meridional fence" and observe when that fence was crossed by a satellite. 

In what the article calls the "fundamental method" of observing, a team of observers would train their telescopes on the local meridian (longitude) as indicated by a north-south line and a vertical mast, such that the observing period spanned intervals of time and elevations where the satellite was expected. Then they could note the exact time (right ascension, in one celestial frame of reference) and elevation angle (aka the declination, but not to be confused with geomagnetic declination) where the satellite was seen. As indicated in the figure to the right from the article, the observers had overlapping fields of view so as not to miss the satellite. This must be what the "telescope array" photo that I included in the last post must be showing. Here is a frontal view of an observing team:

Volunteer satellite trackers in Pretoria, South Africa using the fence method, 1965 (Koch)

In the "differential method" of observing, the position of the satellite is measured relative to the known position of a star in the same field of view.

Btw, I find it strange that meridional with an "o" is the adjective form of meridian with an "a."

According to Jenny Koch,

the Moonwatch program lasted for 18 years, with its dedicated volunteers supporting over 400,000 valuable, time-consuming observations of satellites. Long after the buzz around Sputnik ended, Moonwatch remained relevant in providing a low-cost method of collecting satellite orbital data as well as data on the physics of the upper atmosphere. 

 Whipple the President’s Award for Distinguished Public Service from JFK in 1963, the highest civilian honor given to a government employee.

This seems to be a rather extensive guide for the amateur satellite spotter. It opens with the text:

If you have ever star-gazed shortly after sunset or before sunrise, you have probably noticed one or two "stars" sailing gracefully across the sky. These are Earth-orbiting satellites, visible due to the reflection of the Sun's light off their surfaces toward the observer. Hundreds of satellites are visible to the unaided eye; thousands are visible using binoculars and telescopes. Observing satellites has many enthusiasts around the world.