CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO 2024 ER4 will make a close approach on 2024-Mar-17 09:14±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00108 AU moving with V Relative=8.30 km/sec, H=27.4 magnitude, diameter 8.9 m - 20 m and 'Rarity'=1. There is a 2 day observation arc, theCondition Code=5 and the Earth MOID=0.000625347 AU. The solution date is 2024-Mar-16 06:12:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by ATLAS South Africa, Sutherland on 2024-03-14.

This NEO was not included in today's download of the NEAs at Today's Epoch from the MPC, so I couldn't calculate the ephemeris. The MPC does have elements for the Epoch 2024 Mar 31, but they're after the close approach, so less useful. 

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO 2024 ED3 will make a close approach on 2024-Mar-18 08:38±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.00899 AU with V Relative=9.94 km/sec, H=25.3 magnitude, diameter 23 m - 52 m and 'Rarity'=0. The orbit was refined over a 34 day observation arc. The Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.00618426 AU. The initial reported observation was by Catalina Sky Survey on 2024-03-11. but the NEO was also detected on 2024 Feb 9 by Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala extending the observation arc considerably.

Using orbital elements downloaded from the MPC for the epoch 2024 Mar 14 0000 UT, ST4v predicts that the close approach will occur (to the nearest hour) on 2024 Mar 18 0500 EDT at 1347.7 k km distance when the NEO will be 16.9 magnitude moving through Centaurus at 88.8"/min near the horizon as seen from Columbus, Ohio. The maximum brightness of 16.4 magnitude is predicted to occur near 0200 EDT on 2024 Mar 17 when the NEO is moving through Corvus at ~60"/min.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2024 ED3: [attachment=3043]

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO 2024 EN will make a close approach on 2024-Mar-18 18:34±00:02 UT at 0.00994 AU distance moving at V Relative 11.97 km/sec, H=24.5 magnitude, diameter 34 m - 75 m and 'Rarity'=1. This object has a 10 day observation arc, Condition Code=7 and Earth MOID=1.21678E-7 AU. The orbit solution date was 2024-Mar-13 05:47:56 PDT. This Earth MOID indicates a possible future collision with earth, but CNEOS doesn't predict another approach this close for the next 130 years, so no worries. This is your last chance to see this object before it hits us  .

Using orbital elements downloaded from the MPC for the epoch 2024 March 13 0000 UT, ST4v predicts that 2024 EN will make the close approach (to the nearest hour) on 2024 March 18 1500 EDT at 1489.8 k km distance traveling through Ophiuchus at 17.2 magnitude and ~100"/min, but in daylight and below the horizon from Colombus, Ohio. The maximum brightness of 16.6 magnitude is predicted to occur around 2024 March 17 1100-1900 EDT when the NEO is moving through Libra at 77"/min, again in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio.

Here's the Object Info for this NEO: [attachment=3042]

This looks like a good opportunity for observers Down Under.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

I just acquired this software as I needed something to help me plan in two different locations.
For context:
1: Home observatory - one imaging system, UK based and struggling with weather. Local imaging PC fully automated - accessed remotely from the desktop in the house.
2: Remote observatory - two scopes, Spain based with excellent seeing. Local PC fully automated - accessed from same desktop PC.

What I want to do is run Skytools locally for all systems (as my deskptop is the place where I "play" and I don't want to install much other software on the imaging systems).
I'd like to be able to plan locally in one place and then export to NINA to run on either machine in each of the two locations above.
In order to this, do I need to have NINA on my desktop so that I can work with profiles etc? Should I I just fake it with the necessary files/locations?

One other question, I use NINA "direct guider" as I only need to dither the scope, there is no guiding, is this to be configured as no guiding and will it still offer a dither option when exporting to NINA (actually, on writing this, I'll just try it!)

Is there anything else to consider when dealing with the above setup?

Thanks!

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO 2024 EG2 will make a close approach on 2024-Mar-12 02:11±00:04 UT at a distance of 0.00429 AU with a V relative=19.59 km/sec, H=25.8 magnitude, diameter of 19 m - 42 m and 'Rarity'=1. The orbit was calculated using a 5 day observation arc, Condition Code=8 and Earth MOID=0.00355922 AU. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2024-03-06.

Using elements downloaded from the Minor Planet Center (MPC) on 2024 March 7, ST4v predcts that 2024 EG2 will reach maximum brightness of 16.1 magnitude (to the nearest hour) on 2024 March 11 1600 EDT at 776.3 k km with the NEO moving through Hydra at 257"/min in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2024 March 11 2200 EDT at 643.2 k km moving through Canis Major at 383"/min and an estimated 16.7 magnitude.

This NEO is a fast one due to both the close approach distance and the high V relative velocity, although not as fast as 2024 EF which was a real screamer. Anyone wishing to observe this close approach should download the orbital elements from MPC in a few days after the orbit has been refined further with a longer observation arc. For even better accuracy download elements from JPL's HORIZONS website for the time near your observation time and edit the ST4v Minor Planet database to use those elements.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

I'm having trouble optimizing the use of the four above mentioned columns.  I find that these have a huge potential for prioritizing and organizing my observations, but there seem to be some obstacles that are holding me back.

In particular, these columns do not carry over from the Planning tab to the Real Time tab or vice versa.

I would think that the rating column would be associated with the object.  But it seems to be associated with the object, tab, and observing list.  Why wouldn't a rating for an object always be associated with that object?  It would be nice, for example, if I could search for all items with a five-star rating to make a "best of" observing list or to use a rating when i was deciding what I wanted to view on an evening.

The priority, observing status, and check mark, it seems to me, ought to be associated with the object and observing list, but ought to carry forward from the planning tab to real time tab.  I'd like to be able to review a list in the nightly planner and to somehow mark certain objects to be ignored for observation when I get to the real time tab.  I could use priority, observing status, or check mark to do this if they were to carry forward from the planning tab to real time tab.

How can I mark an object during review of my nightly plan so that mark appears on the object in the real time tab?

Jeff

Hello,

I am trying to copy observation from one computer to another using a stx file but the Import Shared Data from File option from the main menu doesn't list the stx files on the folder. I did it before, looks it stopped working with some recent update. I am using 4.1.11.2. There is any other way to copy observations without synchronizing the whore data base what is overkill for just copying 1 or 2 observations.

Thanks,

Carles

CNEOS reports that the newly discovered minor planet 2024 EF will make a close approach on 2024-Mar-04 07:02±00:06 UT at a distance of 0.00039 AU. The NEO is predicted to be moving at 8.63 km/sec. H=28.8 magnitude, diameter is 4.5 m - 10 m and 'Rarity'=1. There's only a 1 day observation arc; however, the Condition Code=7, and the Earth MOID=0.000818429 AU. The initial reported observation was by Mt. Lemmon Survey on 2024-03-02.

Using orbital elements downloaded from the Minor Planet Center (MPC) on 2024 March 3, ST4v 4.0.11.02 predicts that 2024 EF will reach a maximum brightness of 13.9 magnitude on 2024 March 4 0100 EST when it will be traveling through Virgo at 20.4 "/sec as seen from the Columbus, Ohio area.

Here's the Object Info dialog for this object: [attachment=3037]

Since this NEO will be so close, anyone wishing to observe it should download the elements from MPC & calculate the ephemeris for their location. For the best accuracy download elements from JPL's HORIZONS website for the time of the close approach and upload those elements into SkyTools by editing the elements for 2024 EF in the MP database.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

I would like to be able to limit the Observing Plan list by azimuth, between 5º and 170º, for example. The Asiair Pro platesolve has difficulties for objects close to 0º azimuth. I mainly do EAA and my observation window ends at 180º (I don't want to do meridian flip). The Observing Plan gives me objects outside this range and makes it difficult to see the ones that really interest me, filtering by azimuth would help a lot...
It would also be nice to be able to limit them by Altitude, between 30 and 70º, for example, I don't want to photograph at low or too high altitude.
Maybe this can be done, but I can't find a way.

Thanks for your attention

Hi Greg and the group. Sometimes I'm kind of slow figuring out how to use SkyTools to its best. I have the Messier list here in front of me. I specify (in Nightly Planner mode) that I want to try this marathon this Saturday night. This will be my fourth year to do the marathon... so I guess I have a bit of an idea of how I'd like to do it. I hope to start as soon as M77 and/or M74 come into view in my EAA screen. That should be around 7pm-ish. I was a fascinated with the idea that the "Generate Observing Plan" mode might keep me organized and on track... 2 minutes to find the next target... 3 minutes to observe, then on to the next target. So I put the hopeful times into the "From... to..." boxes... from 7pm to 7:30am. Then i click "Generate Observing Plan." 

First, I just want to make sure I understand the use of the "Altitude" field. With "Generate Observing Plan" checked, what should the altitude be informing me? What do you suppose these numbers in the Altitude field represent... It might be logical to assume that this is the altitude of the object at the time it's recommending i observe it, right?

Otherwise, the good news is... SkyTools is showing me proposed times for 88 of the 110 objects. But, if there is any bad news, it would be that it has completely left out the other objects that it doesn't think I should waste time seeing. So it seems to be leaving out some 22 objects without asking me. But it's a Messier Marathon. I have to try. How do I *force* SkyTools to show me what I want to see - my best chances of seeing the whole marathon??? In a way, this kind of goes back to my same weakness ... the same question I have so far in SkyTools. I can't get it to let *me* be the boss. How do I *force* SkyTools to show me the best case scenario of viewing all 110 objects?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Doug