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?

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered Apollo class NEO, 2025 SS5, will make a close approach on 2025-Sep-28 22:08±00:05 UT at a distance of 0.00070 AU  moving with V Relative=7.96 km/sec, H=27.8 magnitude, diameter 7.5 m - 17 m and 'Rarity'=1. There is a 3 day observation arc, the Condition Code=6 and the Earth MOID=0.000771147 AU.  The solution date was 2025-Sep-26 06:52:08 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Mt. Lemmon Survey on 2025-09-23. This object is too small to make MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs). CNEOS predicts close approaches on 2038 Sep 30 and 2053 Apr 2, but the uncertainties are > one day for the time of close approach.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Sep 26 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that 2025 SS5 will reach a peak brightness of 14.5 magnitude on September 28 at 1600 EDT (2000 UT) with the NEO 129.7k km distant traveling through Cygnus at 10.2"/second, but in daylight in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 September 28 at 1900 EDT (2300 UT) with the NEO 111.64k km distant traveling through Draco at 15.2"/second and 15.5 magnitude, but still in daylight. The best view of 2025 SS5 will be on the morning of September 28 from Columbus and eastern North America. 2025 SS5 should be well placed for European observers, if it's dark enough.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 SS5:    

This NEO will pass very close so parallax will be an issue. Observers should follow the instructions in the 'Important Thread' at the top of this forum section to download the most accurate orbital elements. The elements are still being refined for this object, but I don't think that I'll be able to post an update for this NEO tomorrow.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Here we have the Planet Neptune (Magnitude: 7.81, Size: 2.3") and satellites Triton and Nereid as imaged from Brisbane on the evenings of 23rd and 24th September 2025.

According to SkyTools 4 Imaging, Neptune has a Diameter of 49528.0 km.

Name      Mag  PA°    Sep"
Triton    13.4 344.6  11.2
Nereid    18.7  62.9  409.0

Triton has a magnitude of 13.4, with Nereid at 18.68.

ST4 also writes that on September 23, 2025, Neptune was at opposition at magnitude 7.8 and subtending 2.3 arc seconds, something I did not know at the time of taking this set of images.

Neptune lies at an Earth Distance:  28.9 AU and Sun Distance:  29.9 AU.

I must say, it is nice to find Nereid in ST4, I previously had to visit the JPL Horizons website,  generate then download an ephemeris for Nereid, then manually plot the position to GoTo the RA and DEC coordinates. I also no longer have to worry about J2000 and Apparent.

Celestron 11” EDGE HD at F10, ASI 2600 MM Pro.
30x60 sec exposures.

Dennis.

   

   

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized Apollo class NEO, (152664) 1998 FW4, will make a close approach on 2025-Sep-29 18:59±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.02575 AU moving with V Relative=18.61 km/sec, H=19.7 magnitude, diameter 310 m - 690 m and 'Rarity'=2. There is a 11521 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.0150763 AU. The solution date was 2025-Sep-23 06:28:21 PDT.  Discovered 1998-03-20 by LINEAR at Socorro, the observation arc was extended by 2 observations on 1998-03-09 by Palomar Mountain-DSS. This NEO is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools. This is the closest approach by (152664) 1998 FW4 for the next 150 years although the predicted approach on 2029 Sep 30 will be 0.02614 AU distant.

Using MPC's elements for the epoch 2025 Sep 23 0000 UT, ST 4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that (152664) 1998 FW4 will reach a peak brightness of 13.9 magnitude on 2025 September 28 at 0400 EDT (0800 UT) at a distance of 0.03 AU traveling through Andromeda at 43"/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 September 29 at 1500 EDT (1900 UT) with the NEO at 14.5 magnitude traveling through Camelopardalis at 60"/minute, but in daylight in Columbus, Ohio. It's predicted to be brighter than 16 magnitude from September 19 (in Pisces) to September 30 (in Lynx). Tonight it's predicted to be shining in Pisces at 14.8 magnitude traveling at 9"/minute.

Here's the Object Info dialog for (152664) 1998 FW4:    

Observers should follow the directions in the 'Important Threads' at the top of this forum section for instructions on downloading the most accurate orbital elements for their ephemeris calculations.

This is a well placed NEO for northern hemisphere observers that's also visible from the southern hemisphere for now. It won't get (887) Alinda-bright, but it should be very nice.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2025 SW, will make a close approach on 2025-Sep-25 15:56±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.01069 AU moving with V Relative=8.08 km/sec, H=22.8 magnitude, diameter 73 m - 160 m and 'Rarity'=2. As of September 21, there was a 4 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.0080382 AU. The solution date was 2025-Sep-21 06:51:31 PDT. The initial reported observation was by ATLAS Chile, Rio Hurtado on 2025-09-17. This NEO isn't quite large enough to make the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs). CNEOS hasn't calculated any future close approaches as of today.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Sep 22 0000 UT, ST 4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that 2025 SW will reach a peak brightness of 14.0 on 2025 Sep 25 at 2000 EDT (Sep 26 0000 UT) with 2025 SW traveling through Pegasus at ~60"/minute, but in twilight as seen from Columbus, Ohio. It will dim slightly and rise higher above the horizon as the sky darkens, offering a better view. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Sep 25 at 1200 EDT (1600 UT) when 2025 SW will be 14.1 magnitude still traveling through Pegasus at 64"/minute, but in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus. This NEO is predicted to be brighter than 16 magnitude from September 22 (in Capricornus) to September 28 (in Andromeda).

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 SW:    

Observers should follow the directions for downloading orbital elements described in the 'Important Thread' at the top of this forum section to obtain the most accurate elements for their ephemeris predictions.

Good hunting,

Phil S.