I am trying to use ST4v to build some well composed images where none of the targets are at the center of the image.  Can I move my Camera Viewer box around and then do a copy of the center's coordinates to paste in another program?  I've tried picking out the center myself, using a star as the target, but wanted something more direct.

Roy Wellington

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized NEO, (3361) Orpheus, will make a close approach on 2025-Nov-19 01:27±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.03792 AU moving with V Relative=9.08 km/sec, H=19.5 magnitude, diameter 0.3 km and ''Rarity'=1. As of November 2 there is a 15898 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.0146456 AU.  The solution date was 2025-Nov-02 05:20:33 PST. (3361) Orpheus was discovered on 1982-04-24 by Torres, C. at Cerro El Roble. This is the closest approach to earth until the approach on 2091-Apr-18 22:50 ± < 00:01 UT at a distance of 0.02113 AU. This NEO is on MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Nov 3 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that (3361) Orpheus will reach a peak brightness of 14.7 magnitude on the morning of 2025 November 14 when the NEO will be 0.05 AU distant traveling through Lepus at 14"/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 November 18 at 2000 EST with the the NEO 0.04 AU distant traveling through Puppis at 20.4"/minute and 15.3 magnitude, but below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. (3361) Orpheus is currently 15.5 magnitude in Taurus, 0.09 AU distant.

Here's the Object Info dialog for (3361) Orpheus:    

The orbit for this object is well defined and it won't pass too close-by so elements from the MPC at Today's Epoch may be accurate enough to find this NEO.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Hello Greg
I have Skytools Imaging Version 4.1.11.18
When I change the date of local evening to "Tonight" under Target Selection, Skytools simply closes.
I am able to select a date in the Calendar, and Skytools updates its self normally.
Can you think what could be causing this?

Thank you
Adrien Richardson

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized, Apollo class NEO 2020 FA5, will make a close approach on 2025-Oct-26 02:21±2_01:36 UT at a distance of 0.04032 AU moving with V Relative=26.54 km/sec, H=21.1 magnitude, diameter 160 m - 350 m and 'Rarity'=1. There is a 55 day observation arc, the Condition Code=6 and the Earth MOID=0.009919 AU. The solution date was 2022-Oct-10 05:55:11 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala on 2020-03-22. The observation arc was extended by 3 observations on 2020-02-19 by Palomar Mountain--ZTF. With the uncertainty in the close approach time, close approach could be between 0.00987 AU and 0.08373 AU. This NEO is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Oct 21 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro Predicts that 2020 FA5 will reach a peak brightness of 14.9 magnitude on the morning of October 28 with the NEO 0.03 AU distant traveling through Taurus at 56"/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 October 26 at 2100 EDT (October 27 0100 UT) with the NEO 0.02 AU distant traveling through Monoceros at 15.5 magnitude and 103"/minute, but below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2020 FA5:     

Hopefully this object will be observed again befor the close approach and the orbit can be refined further.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered Apollo class NEO, 2025 TP5, will make a close approach on 2025-Oct-15 20:08±00:06 UT at a distance of 0.00065 AU moving with V Relative=8.37 km/sec, H=26.5 magnitude, diameter 13 m - 30 m and 'Rarity'=2. As of Oct 13 there is a 1 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.000603145 AU. The solution date was 2025-Oct-13 23:42:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by ATLAS-MLO, Mauna Loa on 2025-10-13. Its next close approach is predicted on 2051-Dec-13 09:15 ± 4_12:35 UT at a nominal distance of 0.04 AU. This NEO is too small to make the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Oct 14 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that 2025 TP5 will reach a peak brightness of 12.6 magnitude on 2025 Oct 15 at 1500 EDT (1900 UT) with the NEO 110.3k km distant traveling through Andromeda at 14.1"/second, but in daylight in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Oct 15 at 1600 EDT (2000 UT) with 2025 TP5 103.5k km distant traveling through Cassiopeia at 16.6"/second and 12.7 magnitude in daylight in Columbus. This NEO is predicted to be brighter than 16 magnitude on the morning of October 15 in Aquarius and in the evening of October 15 in Ursa Major.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 TP5:    

Since this NEO will pass very close by, observers should follow the instructions in the 'Important Thread' at the top of this forum section to download the most up-to-date orbital elements for the best accuracy.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Here's an article about the CLOSE approach of the meter-sized NEO, 2025 TF, that shot past us at over 120"/second on 2025 Sep 30.

https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2025/10...759952444/

Like many of these objects, it was detected on the way back out. SkyTools predicted that it reached 13th magnitude. Since I was only calculating positions every hour, it may have gotten even brighter.

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the kilometer-sized NEO, (164206) 2004 FN18, will make a close approach on 2025 Nov 7.

Using MPC's orbital elements for 2025 Sep 22 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that (164206) 2004 FN18 will reach a peak brightness of 14 magnitude at a distance of 0.12 AU on the morning of 2025 Oct 31 while traveling through Cetus at 7.26"/minute. This NEO is currently 0.2 AU distant traveling at 1.64"/minute through Triangulum at 16.2 magnitude.

I'll provide an update closer to the time of the close approach, but wanted to alert observers to this large NEO's coming pass as it should be visible for several days around the close approach.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered Apollo class NEO, 2025 TC, will make a close approach on 2025-Oct-03 06:34±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00057 AU moving with V Relative=16.15 km/sec, H=27.0 magnitude, diameter 11 m - 24 m and 'Rarity'=2. There is a 2 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.000370874 AU. The solution date was 2025-Oct-02 06:59:42 PDT The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2025-10-01. The observation arc was extended by 2 observations on 2025-09-30 and 3 observations on 2025-10-01 by Palomar Mountain--ZTF. This object is too small to make the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools. This NEO is predicted to pass 0.86 AU from Jupiter on 2054-Oct-13 13:53 ± 1_01:07 UT.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Oct 2 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that 2025 TC will reach a peak brightness of 13.6 magnitude on 2025 Oct 3 at 0100 EDT (0500 UT) at a distance of 126.1k km traveling through Grus at 19"/second on the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Oct 3 at 0300 EDT (0700 UT) at a distance of 90.17k km traveling through Cirinus at 32"/second and 15.2 magnitude, but below the horizon in Columbus. This is one of the fastest apparent motions that I've seen  for a close approach so it should be very impressive to observe. It should be brighter than 15 magnitude in Aquarius on the evening of Oct 2. Best views will be from the southern hemisphere.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 TC:    

Since this NEO will pass very close, observers should follow the instructions in the 'Important Thread' at the top of this forum section to download the most accurate orbital elements.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

SkyTools 4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that this medium-sized, Apollo class NEO will make a close approach (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Oct 1 at 2200 EDT (Oct 2 0200 UT) at a distance of 0.03 AU traveling through Cassiopeia at 111"/minute. Peak brightness of 15.4 magnitude is predicted to occur on 2025 October 1 at ~1100 EDT (1500 UT) with 2025 RW9 traveling through Perseus at ~100"/minute and 0.03 AU distant, but in daylight in Columbus, Ohio. It's currently in Taurus at ~17 magnitude. 

Neither CNEOS nor the MPC predict that 2021 RW9 will make a close approach this year, but the orbit's uncertainty is high, the Condition Code=9. 

This might make an interesting challenge for Dennis.

Phil S.

Hi everyone, I’ve been exploring minor planet catalogs and noticed that some objects receive provisional designations for years before getting a permanent number. Could someone explain the exact criteria or process used to decide when a minor planet gets its permanent designation? Are there specific observational or orbital requirements that must be met?