CNEOS predicts that the recently discovered NEO 2022 SU21 will make a close approach on 2022-Oct-08 20:14 ± 00:08 UT at a distance of 0.00819 AU. H=24.7 magnitude, V relative=19.96 and 'Rarity'=1.

ST4v predicts that peak brightness of 16.4 magnitude will occur on October 8 at 05:00 EDT when the MP will be 1476.1k km distant, traveling through Perseus at 138"/min. The minimum Re is predicted to occur on October 8 at 16:00 EDT at a distance of 1228.7k km traveling through Camelopardalis at 203"/min in daylight at 17.0 magnitude. The close approach may be visible from Japan. It occurs too close to the north celestial pole to be easily visible from the southern hemisphere.

Here's an IA chart showing the predicted path of 2022 SU21 for the night of October 7-8, 2022: [attachment=2534]

Both 2022 SU21 and 2022 TD would be easier to observe with a scope larger than a 13".

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO 2022 TD will make a close approach on 2022-Oct-06 03:53 ± 00:07 UT at a distance of 0.00249 AU. H=27.8 magnitude, Vrel=10.11 km/sec & 'Rarity'=0.

ST4v predicts that maximum brightness of 16.7 magnitude will occur on October 5 at 20:00 EDT when the MP will be moving through Cassiopeia at 300"/min. Minimum Re is predicted on October 6 at 00:00 when its brightness will have decreased to 17.2 magnitude. It will be moving through Cepheus at 342"/min. The moon will interfere unfortunately.

Here's an IA chart showing the predicted path on the night of October 5-6, 2022 as seen from Columbus, Ohio: [attachment=2533]

This NEO isn't well placed for the southern hemisphere.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Greg is the current comets for October list out as it still says Sept 1 on the Current Comets list?

I was looking to find objects around the head of Hydra in a Database Power search and currently the only thing I can do is search by constellation which is not that much use from my latitude. Would it be possible to add an extra feature to allow the user to specify an RA and Dec range in the search to get more useful results?

I've got a fellow who is really interested in using Skytools4, but I'm having a difficult time helping him relate the SNR values in Skytools with the SNR values he gets from PI.  Is there a gallery of an object at different SNR's that I can show him on AstroBin or similar?  Ideally it would be several types of objects (galaxy, nebulae, planetary) at SNR's from 1 to 100 as on the quality list box ...

Failing that, is there a way to relate the SNR value from Skytools4 to the PI SNR?

I suspect many here are keeping up with the Webb Telescope. Saw this and am totally wowed.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/202...in-decades

I have been working with the finder chart for M11. I have my chart settings the way I like them when viewed on the screen (naked eye, finding device, and eyepiece) but when I print the chart there are 3 rectangles that print on and near the M11 image in the eyepiece view.

Questions:

What do the rectangles represent?
How do I get rid of them in the printout?

Thank you,
Jon

This Apollo class rock from space discovered March of 2018 at Pan-STARRS makes a pass over the top at a distance of 2.7LD at mag 16.1. This is on the evening of Sept 25, ripping at 4 arc minutes per minute out of Cepheus, through Andromeda and into Pegasus b4 morning twilight on the 26th. It brightens somewhat to mag 15.5 as the phase angle improves b4 morning twilight ruins the view.

Looking back a little over 100 years there is not a random passing of NEOs under 0.5LD. The peak seems to occur in late March and late September, near the equinoxes. Any thoughts on if this is just a selection disguised by the larger number of observatory (surveys) that have good access to the ecliptic?

CNEOS predicts that this large (0.66-1.5km) NEO will make a close approach on 2022 Sep 11 15:52±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.07963 AU. H=18.0, 'Rarity'=1, Condition Code=0.

Currently my ST4v is in the shop so I'm unable to calculate an ephemeris for this object. The distance & H are similar to Didymos that I posted about several days ago, so the brightness may be similar as well.

Since this object is an NEO, anyone interested in calculating an ephemeris for this object only needs to download the MPC's data file 'NEAs at Today's Epoch' using SkyTools to get the most recent orbital elements. There are currently ~29k NEOs known. Processing is much faster than for the full MPCORB.

If this NEO does look like a bright one, I'd be interested in knowing where it's going.

Good hunting,

Phil S.