I want to create a chart showing visibility of selected objects.

Y axis object. X axis time, with midnight in the center.

For selected objects, a bar showing visibility. i.e. the bar starts at rise time and ends at set time.

Tom Dean

I do not know where this belongs, but, it is sort of a beginners question.

I do Astronomy because I enjoy it. It is hobby. I have been at it for a dozen years, or so.

I had a Meade 8" SCT and iOptron CEM60EC plus associated lenses, etc.,  and a Cannon EOS 60Da.
I did a combination of visual observing and imaging with varying degrees of success. But, I had a lot of fun.
I used ST3/4 for planning, APT, skychart, BYEOS, PHD2, and platesolve3 for imaging.

Due to advancing age, I have to downsize. I have not kept up with advances in hardware.

I have ST4, both visual and imaging.

ST4 can control the telescope, slew and sync. How do I fold image and platesolve into this?

I have a AT65EDQ OTA and a iOptron CEM25EC and some Nagler lenses.

I want to add a camera for EAA with the provision to upgrade the AT654EDQ to a 102mm scope. For now, I want a cooled camera which includes a guide scope.

I am thinking of a ZWO ASI2600MM Duo camera. Will this work with the AT65EDQ, assuming I can find the adapters? I don't know about telescope output diameter.

If I buy the ZWO, what OTA should I look for, assuming I will upgrade?

Tom Dean

What I want to do: Understand why a generated target list of minor planets between mag 14 and 16 using Database Power Search produced 53 results but only 5 are between RA 13h – 22h (basically the current summer sky). Seems an unlikely distribution. The “bright” MPC list was the source file and only filters were an observing date of July 10, 2025, mag 14 – 16, and main/outer belt asteroids. Other sources (CdC, C2A) reveal dozens of asteroids meeting those criteria and about the same density in Scorpius, Sagittarius, and Libra as Orion and Taurus. What am I missing? Thanks in advance.

CNEOS predicts that the large NEO, (35107) 1991 VH, will make a close approach on 2025-Aug-02 03:26±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.07814 AU moving with V Relative=8.67 km/sec, H=16.9 magnitude, diameter 0.929±0.035 km and 'Rarity'=2. As of 2025 Jul 12, there is a 12298 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.0255746 AU. The solution date was 2025-Jul-12 06:17:47 PDT. This NEO was discovered at Siding Spring on 1991-11-09 by R. H. McNaught. It is on MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs). Close approaches in August 2065 and 2088 are predicted at ~0.045 AU. Interestingly, this NEO has a satellite, S/1997 (35107) 1.

Using MPC's elements for 2025 Jul 12 0000 UT, ST4.1.1.15 predicts that this NEO will reach a broad peak in brightness of 15.0 magnitude traveling at ~8"/minute from July 20 through July 30 from Cassiopeia to Perseus, Andromeda and back into Perseus. It's already brighter than 15.5 magnitude in Cepheus.

Here's the Object Info dialog for (35107) 1991 VH:    

This large NEO has a well defined orbit and isn't moving very fast, so it should be easy to spot if 15th magnitude stars are within reach of your telescope.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized NEO, 2005 VO5, will make a close approach on 2025-Jul-11 04:46±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.04068 AU moving with V Relative=14.38 km/sec, H=19.8 magnitude, diameter 300 m - 660 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of July 5, there is a 7177 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.040144 AU. The solution date was 2025-Jul-05 06:18:27 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Siding Spring Survey on 2005-11-09. This NEO is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that can be downloaded by SkyTools. This approach is very close to the Earth MOID distance. The next approach in 2062 Jul 11 will be nearly as close at 0.04104 AU.

This NEO is already visible at 14.7 magnitude in Sagittarius. It will be best visible from the southern hemisphere.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

A new interstellar comet has just been discovered, 3I/ATLAS. I have added it to the July current comets list for all versions of SkyTools. It is currently magnitude 18.5.

A new interstellar comet has just been discovered. 3I/ATLAS. I have added it to the July current comets list for all versions of SkyTools. It is currently magnitude 18.5, so is more an imaging target at the moment.

This morning I noticed a big jump in the number of MPs discovered in the month of June - 2198 total. The reason is that the Vera C. Rubin observatory is now operating and it discovered ~2000 MPs already.

Here's an article about the observatory: https://www.space.com/astronomy/the-rubi...lions-more

Enjoy,

Phil S.

There is a new bright Nova in Lepus, Nova Lep 2025. Its magnitude 7.8, low in the southern sky at around 10:30 PM from mid -northern latitudes.

Ensure that your "Current Bright Novae and Supernovae" subscription is enabled (Setup ->  Manage Subscriptions). The list will be automatically updated or you can force it from the dialog.  Open in the Nightly Planner (Visual) or Target Selection (Imaging) Tool. To find it, sort on magnitude, brightest at the top.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2025 LT will make a close approach on 2025-Jun-23 09:53±00:45 UT at a distance of 0.00862 AU moving with V Relative=14.47 km/sec, H=24.2 magnitude, diameter 39 m - 87 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of 2025 Jun 16, the Condition Code=8, so the orbit isn't well defined yet.

This NEO may reach a peak brightness of 14.2 on Jun 23, so it's worth watching.

Phil S.