The close approach of the large, Aten-class NEA, (99942) Apophis on Friday, 2029 April 13 is less than 3 years away. Here's an article describing where best to observe it:

https://www.space.com/astronomy/asteroid...ld-in-2029

There have been close approaches of several large Aten-class NEAs recently, such as (152637) 1997 NC1 and (523808) ML24.

Hope you find it interesting,

Phil S.

I just downloaded the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) and noticed that the kilometer-sized, Apollo-class NEA, (4183) Cuno is at opposition on 2026 Jul 10. It's currently in Capricornus at 14.5 magnitude. Peak brightness of 14.4 magnitude is predicted in early July 2026. The light curve is very broad due to Cuno's distance of 0.5 AU. The diameter=3.651 km and H=14.18.  Discovered 1959-06-05 by Hoffmeister, C. at Bloemfontei.

The moon will interfere around July 1 and will actually occult Cuno from locations in Central America. Columbus, Ohio is too far north for an occultation to occur. Cuno passes ~14.25' north of the moon at ~0100 EDT (0500 UT) on 2026 Jul 1. Observers in the southwestern USA will see it pass even closer.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

An maintenance update has been released for all SkyTools 4 versions. You will be prompted to install the update when SkyTools is started. 

Updates in Version 4.x.11.21 (2026 June 17)

• Visual: "Open in Ephemeris" has been added to the right-click menu on the Nightly Planner
  
• Imaging Exposure Tables: stellar objects didn't always display exposure data
  
• Imaging: gain selection has been reworked in all of the tools
  
• Imaging: Advanced Exposure Calculator didn't always show an Exposure Time result until a parmeter was changed
  
• Imaging: The available filters on the Advanced Exposure Calculator didn't always initialize properly
  
• Imaging: Selecting "Faint" for a generic supernova remnant was not initializing correctly for Exposures
  
• Imaging: Exposure Goals tab of Imaging Project dialog; changes to "Expose for..." were not affecting the table predictions
  
• The shortlist menu that is used when there are large numbers of Attachment Folders was failing to work properly in all cases.
  
• Various minor fixes were also made.
  

DSO's only from the Annals of the Deep Sky series of books.  Complete to volume 12 (minus volume 9).

Attached Files

  Annals of the Deep Sky (SkyTools).zip (Size: 696 KB / Downloads: 8)

Some of the galaxies list from "Galaxies and How to Observe Them" by Wolfgang Steinicke and Richard Jakiel. Book from the series Astronomer's Observing Guides by Springer. More to come.

Attached Files

  SJGal74 Brighther UGC Galaxies.stx (Size: 236 bytes / Downloads: 1)
  SJGal71 All Messier Galaxies.stx (Size: 356 bytes / Downloads: 2)
  SJGal71 Northern NGC_IC brighter than V=10.stx (Size: 376 bytes / Downloads: 1)
  SJGal71 Southern NGC Galaxies.stx (Size: 256 bytes / Downloads: 1)

Observing list with the nebulae included in the book by Steven R Coe: "Nebulae and How To Observe Them" part of the series Astronomer's Observing Guides.

Attached Files

  Nebulae Coe.stx (Size: 2.41 KB / Downloads: 4)

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered, Apollo-class NEA, 2026 LS1, will make a close approach on 2026-Jun-13 06:48±00:02 UT at a distance of 0.00120 AU moving with V Relative=8.34 km/sec, H=26.7 magnitude, diameter 12 m - 27 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of June 12 there is a 0.31 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7, and the Earth MOID=0.00121053 AU. The solution date was 2026-Jun-12 08:12:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by ATLAS Chile, Rio Hurtado on 2026-06-12. This NEA 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 2026 June 9 0000 UT downloaded on 2026 June 12, ST4.1.11.20 Visual Pro predicts that 2026 LS1 will reach a peak brightness of 14.9 magnitude on Jun 12 at 2300 EDT (June 13 0300 UT) at a distance of 219.8k km traveling through Carina at 392"/minute, but below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2026 Jun 13 at 0300 EDT (0700 UT)  with the NEA traveling through Carina at a distance of 184.7k km and 15.7 magnitude at ~510"/minute, but still below the horizon in Columbus. This object is best observed from the southern hemisphere.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2026 LS1:    

Since this object's orbit is still being refined and it will pass very close by, observers should follow the directions in the "Important Threads" post at the top of this forum section for instructions on how to download the latest elements into their minor planet database. Unfortunately ther's not much warning on this one.

Good Hunting,

Phil S.

I've not yet found a method to predict these in the Event Finder. Years ago I used Occcult for this but no longer. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kenneth Drake

CNEOS predicts that the recently discovered Apollo-class NEA, 2026 KB1, will make a close approach on 2026-Jun-01 23:35±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.02620 AU moving with V Relative=13.51 km/sec, H=22.1 magnitude, diameter 99 m - 220 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of 29 May there is a 10 day observation arc, the Condition Code=8 and the Earth MOID=0.0229246 AU. The solution date was 2026-May-29 06:48:42 PDT  The initial reported observation was by ATLAS Chile, Rio Hurtado on 2026-05-19. With an absolute magnitude (H) just above 22.0 magnitude, this NEA is too small to make the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools. No future close approaches have been predicted.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2026 May 29 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.20 Visual Pro predicts that 2026 KB1 will make a close approach (to the nearest hour) on 2026 June 1 at 2000 EDT (June 2 0000 UT) traveling through Aquila at 15.8 magnitude and 43"/minute, but in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Peak brightness of 15.6 magnitude occurs on the evening of May 31 and the morning of June 1 with the MP 0.027 AU distant traveling through Scutum at ~40"/minute. The full moon will interfere with observations of this NEA, unfortunately.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2026 KB1:    

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered Apollo-class NEA, 2026 KT2, will make a close approach on 2026-May-28 12:42±00:06 UT at a distance of 0.00523 AU moving with V Relative=11.52 km/sec, H=23.6 magnitude, diameter 51 m - 110 m and 'Rarity'=2. As of May 26 there is a 1 day observation arc, The Condition Code=8 and the Earth MOID=0.0039495 AU. The solution date was 2026-May-26 06:17:33 PDT. The initial reported observation was by MAPS, San Pedro de Atacama on 2026-05-24 the same group that discovered the comet MAPS. This object is too small to make the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools. There aren't any future close approached predicted yet.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2026 May 26 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.20 Visual Pro predicts that 2026 KT2 will reach a peak brightness of 14.0 magnitude on the morning of May 28 traveling through Bootes at ~170 "/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2026 May 28 at 0900 EDT (1300 UT) with the MP still traveling through Bootes at 14.0 magnitude and 182"/minute, but in daylight and below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. The moon will interfere with observations on the night of May 26-27.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2026 KT2:    

The orbit is still being refined for this object, so observers should follow the instructions in the "Important Thread" posted at the top of this forum section for instructions on downloading orbital elements for fast changing orbits.

Good hunting,

Phil S.