Hello,

It's been several years since I have actively been observing and I have forgotten how to add lists to Sky Tools 4. I am looking for the Herschel 400 and 2500 lists. Anyone know where I can find them an how to add them?

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2024 MT1 will make a close approach on 2024-Jul-08 01:11±00:41 UT at a distance of 0.01008 AU moving with V Relative=18.12 km/sec, H=23.1 magnitude, diameter 63 m - 140 m and 'Rarity'=2. There is a 2 day observation arc, the Condition Code=8 and the Earth MOID=0.00931689 AU. The solution date was 2024-Jul-01 04:42:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by ATLAS Chile, Rio Hurtado on 2024-06-29. 

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2024 Jul 1 0000 UT, ST4v 1.11.10 predicts that this MP will reach a peak brightness of 15.1 magnitude on 2024 July 7 at 0100 EDT at 0.01 AU distance traveling through Ophiuchus at 85"/minute. It will be traveling even faster at close approach on the evening of July 7, but close approach occurs during twilight as seen from Columbus, Ohio. Observers in Europe should have a good view then.

I'll post an update when CNEOS refines the orbit further and the close approach parameters are better defined. 

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Hello Greg,

I am working on some observing list for galaxy trios and galaxy groups. I found out that some trios are in my Supplemental Database, maybe I put them there years ago and I don´t remember or were imported form some observing list. I had been importing my data from ST2 to 3 and then to 4 so I am not sure where they are coming from.

With galaxy groups that are in the database like Hickson, ST can calculate the difficulty and other conditions, the magnitude is usually the brightest member magnitude and there is the size of the group and the number of members. It's possible to include those in the groups or trios entered in the supplemental database? Can it calculate the visibility just with the magnitude and knowing that is a group of galaxies, by an approximate superficial luminosity estimation?

Any suggestions about how to get sky tools to estimate visibility of galaxy groups that are not in the database as groups, the galaxies are there thought, but other that including the members one by one, which was my approach in the past.

Thanks. Clear skies,

Carles

• Visual: Fixed a problem with the Plan feature of the Nightly Planner that sometimes led to blank plans
  
• Imaging Smart Project Builder: the Auto choice was removed from the Binning selection because it was confusing and inconsistent with how other parts of SkyTools worked. When color composite mode is selected and Binx1, options will be presented that include Binx2 for color filters (RGB), just like the Auto selection did previously.
  
• Imaging Smart Project Builder: The "region" label for stellar objects (stars, quasars, minor planets, etc.) consisted of garbled characters.
  
• Imaging Schedule: a printed schedule sometimes overwrite one line with another.
  
• Imaging Scheduler: added a feature to copy the schedule to the Windows clipboard in addition to printing it
  
• Imaging 4.1: the help system has been improved for many new version 4.1 features or changes, and entering Gain Settings in particular.
  
• Various minor fixes
  

Is there an option available to transfer the calculated Scheduled workflow in the Schedular Tab into the Observation Tab ?

Currently I am manually entering the filter, number of subs and exposure times into the Observation Tab.

This would save time as well as human errors

   
   

See attachments

Although the uncertainty is high (8), this might be a keeper. The MPC and JPL don't seem to fully agree on elements and epoch, this could be one that is visible in plain telescopes.

Near close approach, it will be only ~18° altitude in my southern skies inside the Stinger of Scorpius, but moving near 4'/min at magnitude 9.66 June 29th, 02:00CDT.

With 18 obs over 43 days, discovered May 7th at Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala, the orbital els could get better by the close approach on July 29, 09:13CDT when it will be 15° below my horizon but moving 6.5'/min but mag 9.1 on the Sagittarius/Aquila border.

Kenneth Drake

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2024 LZ4 will make a close approach on 2024-Jun-16 03:55 ± < 00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00186 AU.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the kilometer-sized NEO, (504034) 2005 UJ159 will make a close approach on 2024-Jun-16 20:55±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.07310 AU moving with V Relative= 31.81 km/sec,  H=17.6 magnitude, diameter 800 m - 1.8 km and 'Rarity'=1. There is a 6701 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.0397321 AU. The solution date was 2024-Mar-06 05:26:05 PDT. This NEO was discovered at Palomar on 2005-10-30 by NEAT. This NEO won't come within 0.1 AU of earth again until June 2134 when it is predicted to be 0.07642 AU at close approach.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2024 May 24 0000 UT, ST4v predicts that (504034) 2005 UJ159 will reach a peak brightness of 15.3 magnitude on June 18 at 1800 EDT when the MP will be 0.08 AU distant traveling through Antlia at 27"/minute in twilight on the horizon as seen (actually not seen) from Columbus, Ohio. Close approach (to the nearest hour) is predicted to occur on 2024 June 16 at 1900 EDT at a distance of 0.07 AU when the NEO's brightness is predicted to be 16.2 magnitude traveling through Hydra at 36"/minute in daylight in Columbus, Ohio. This NEO will be best observed from the southern hemisphere.

Here's the Object Info dialog for this NEO:     

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Edit: I see that the designation of the NEO is incorrect in the thread title. The correct deignation is (504034) 2005 UJ159. It's corrected now.

has anyone tried a tablet or an ink eReader instead of paper? 

there are ink ereaders that are almost the side of paper to don't output light. I would imagine you could use a redlight or amber reading light just like paper? not sure how it would work with glare?

https://remarkable.com/store/remarkable-2

also the ipad 2024 is about the size of paper and is now OLED. 

my laptop battery sucks and I have a push-to scope anyway...so prefer paper - but don't mind if the "paper" is digital.

Eta: I mostly observe from home in Bortle 4/5...not sure how harmful a little bit of light would be here compared to a dark sky.

tyty

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2024 KX will make a close approach on 2024-May-31 03:42±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00194 AU moving with V Relative=8.25 km/sec, H=27.6 magnitude, diameter 8.0 m - 18 m and 'Rarity'=0. There is a 2 day observation arc, the Condition Code=5 and the Earth MOID=0.00143574 AU. The solution date was 2024-May-30 06:21:15 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2024-05-28.

Using MPC's elements for the epoch 2024 May 30 0000 UT ST4V predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 15.6 magnitude on 2024 May 30 at 2000 EDT when the NEO will be in Hydra traveling ~310"/minute in daylight near the horizon. Close approach is predicted to occur (to the nearest hour) on 2024 May 31 0000 EDT (0400 UT) when the NEO is 294.8k km distant at 16.1 magnitude traveling through Centaurus at ~350"/minute near the horizon. This object is best seen from the southern hemisphere, but the timing of the close approach is favorable for southern Europe and Africa. This one will really be moving quickly at the time of close approach.

Here's the Object Info dialog for this NEO:     

For best accuracy observers should update their MP database with orbital elements downloaded from JPL's HORIZONS website as described in the post pinned to the top of this Forum section.

Good hunting,

Phil S.