Greg will the modelling for A3 for forward scattering apply to all comets with the right geometry or is this just for A3?

CNEOS predicts that the large NEO (363027)1998 ST27 will make a close approach on 2024-Oct-12 01:52±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.02380 AU moving with V Relative=16.63 km/sec, H=19.6 magnitude, diameter 0.578±0.228 km and 'Rarity'=2. There is currently a 9503 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.00992384 AU. The solution date was 2024-Sep-30 06:23:23 PDT. This NEO was discovered at Socorro on 1998-09-24 by LINEAR. This large object is on MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHA).

Using MPC's elements for the epoch 2024 Sep 30 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.11 Visual Pro predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 13.0 magnitude on the early morning and evening of 2024 Oct 10 when the NEO will be traveling from Pegasus into Pisces at ~50"/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2024 Oct 11 2200 EDT when the MP will be 0.02 AU distant traveling through Aquarius at 13.4 magnitude and 59"/minute. This large NEO should be brighter than 16th magnitude from October 3 (In Andromeda traveling ~4.3"/minute) to October 14 (In Telescopium traveling ~25.4"/minute in evening twilight near the horizon in Columbus, Ohio).

Here's the Object Info dialog for this NEO:     

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Hello Everyone,

An update has been released with various bug fixes and a new Visual 4.1 feature, available to anyone with SkyTools Visual 4.1.

See the update web page for more information in the fixes:
https://skyhound.com/stupdate4.html

Progress continues on the upcoming EAA features for Visual 4.1. I will be previewing it at the El Dorado Star Party on October 31.

We have improved the SkyTools model calculations of brightness, visibility and SNR for comet Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) by including the surge due to forward scattering, which will improve its predictions in October.

The visual difficulty label "Apparent" has been replaced with "Perceptible" which we feel will be less confusing.

For Visual 4.1 users, a new Transparency selection replaced the weather settings. See this video for more information:

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2024 SV2, will make a close approach on 2024-Sep-28 17:02±00:08 UT at a distance of 0.00033 AU moving with V Relative=11.52 km/sec, H=28.6 magnitude, diameter 5.0 m - 11 m and 'Rarity'=1. There is only a 1 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.00040797 AU. The solution date was 2024-Sep-27 06:42:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala on 2024-09-26.

Using MPC's elements for the epoch 2024 Oct 17 0000 UT downloaded on 2024 Sep 27, ST4.1.11.10 Pro predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 13.0 magnitude on 2024 Sep 28 1200 EDT at a distance of 57.38k km when the MP will be traveling through Sculptor at 32.6"/second in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2024 Sep 28 1300 EDT at a distance of 54.97k km when the NEO is predicted to have faded to 13.9 magnitude traveling through Horologium at 36.5"/second still in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus. At close approach it will be moving more than the moon's diameter every minute!

Here's the Object Info dialog for this NEO:     

The detection of this NEO is so recent that it hasn't been added to the MPC's datafile of orbital elements for NEOs as of 2024 Sep 27. The orbit is still being refined. The best place to obtain orbital elements for your SkyTools calculations is from NASA's HORIZONS website.

This object will be best observed from the southern hemisphere.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

First of all, I just want to say that the capabilities of this software are astounding. I use it primarily for planning, visualizing, charting, and logging both visual and imaging sessions. I've bought or tried most of the software that's out there and this one is such a pleasure to use. Thank you!

I am planning my calendar of events for 2025 and I've been using the Event Finder tab, but it's been tedious. I looked into the documentation and found reference to a "Current Events" feature that would seem to suit my needs (right now I'm manually entering in all the planets and Messier objects along the ecliptic to see if and when they might "appulse" each other). However, I can't seem to find it anywhere.

Can someone point out where this feature might be and confirm if I really can input a list of objects that can be checked for appulses, conjunctions, occultations, and such?
Alternatively, is there a way to select all the major planets and check to see if they come within 3 degrees or so or anything along their path throughout the year? If so, can I filter by type (e.g. galaxy, star cluster, etc.) or apparent mag?

One more thing, I ran the Sat. Events for the Jovian moons and received the dates and times for eclipses even if they could not be observed. For example, 1/1/2025 Io will be occulted by Jupiter at 19:54, eclipsed at 21:37, and emerge from the eclipse by 22:43. I imagine that I would not be able to view Io being eclipsed as it would already be occulted by Jupiter. However, I don't see a way to limit for non-visible eclipses. This does not seem to be a problem for occultations as it does not give me a time between the eclipse start and end that says when it is no longer being occulted despite still being in Jupiter's shadow.

If possible, it would also be nice to include a filter for when an appulse or occultation is too close to the sun. For example, on 1/27 Mercury and M75 will be 11' apart, but too close to the Sun for comfort.

Lastly, it would be nice to be able to export these events as a csv. Currently it all copies to the clipboard and pastes in Excel as a single column with all the values in it which makes it difficult to extract the dates, times, events, altitudes, etc. to filter on.

If any of what I'm saying already exists, please let me know.

Again, I just want to mention again how much I love this product. I suggest it to my friends and club members whenever they ask about how I plan, log, chart, etc. These are just some of the things I noticed that I feel would make it even better. Thank you!

I'm changing my OS on my old W7Pro64 desktop and just wanted to ask if I should download a new installation (current SkyTools4Setup.exe dated 9/28/2021). Or should I do a restore to the new OS? The only thing I've got that I would need to re-enter are a couple of locations.

Kenneth Drake

It's only 2024 September 12 and the MPC's already reporting 198 NEOs discovered in September plus 343 minor planets and 1 comet. They've really been on a tear since the new moon. On September 11 my Database Power Search (DBPS) of MPs within 0.05 AU of earth reported 66 objects. On September 10 there were 65 while on September 9 and today there were 63.

In addition there are kilometer-sized (66146) 1998 TU3 and (276049) 2002 CE26 still passing by.

Phil S.

Here's an article discussing the Subaru Telescope's discoveries of an outer ring of objects beyond the Kuiper belt:

Astronomers Stunned by Unexpected Discovery of New Celestial Bodies in the Outer Solar System (scitechdaily.com)

Hope that you find it interesting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2024 RQ, will make a close approach on 2024-Sep-16 10:37±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00351 AU moving with V Relative=6.70 km/sec, H=25.1 magnitude, diameter 25 m - 56 m and 'Rarity'=1. There is a 9 day observation arc, the Condition Code=5 and the Earth MOID=0.00232227 AU. The solution date was 2024-Sep-11 06:24:38 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2024-09-01. This NEO is too small to make MPC's list of PHAs.

Using MPC's elements for 2024 Sep 11 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.10 Visual Pro predicts that this MP will reach a peak brightness of 14.5 magnitude on 2024 Sep 15 at 1400 EDT when the NEO will be 665.2k km distant traveling through Aquarius at 92"/minute, but in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. The close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2024 Sep 16 at 0700 EDT when the NEO will be 15 magnitude in Aquila traveling at 146"/minute in twilight below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. This NEO should be bright enough to be visible in a 13" scope from the morning of September 14 in Cetus to Septembr 16 in Delphinus.

Here's the Object Info dialog for this object:     

Since the close approach distance is only 532k km, observers should download orbital elements close to when they observe for the best accuracy.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

The newly discovered very-NEO, 2024 RW1 collided with earth over the Philippines several hours after discovery. The collision occurred on 2024 Sep 4 12:46 EDT (1646 UT). The estimated diameter was ~1m. This was the ninth MP to be discovered before impact.

Here's an article about the resulting fireball:

Small asteroid creates ‘spectacular fireball’ while burning up over Philippines - UPI.com

Hope that you find it interesting,

Phil S.