I decided to fool around with the 54 most recently discovered NEAs (Sept 25 - Oct 5) - (2022 SZ10 - 2022 TZ1). I played around with their distance from my location about the mid time of their discovery date (Sept 29 00:00CDT). It was interesting that the closest rock at that time was 2022 TV @301LD and the most distant one was 2022 TN1 @710LD. Geez, these rocks don't hang around long! It's no wonder we are not getting a chance to snag them visually.

I received this question via private email, but I thought others might benefit from my answer, so I am reposting it here:

I own an Obsession 15 inch classic scope.  When I look up Pluto for the date of July 21st 2023 it says that it is undetectable.  To see Pluto I was told that you need a scope that is at least 12 inches or larger.  Why is your software stating that it is undetectable?  Shouldn't your software state that it is detectable? My limiting magnitude for my 15 inch scope is 15.5.

CNEOS predicts that the large NEO (177614) HK33 will make a relatively close approach to earth on 2022-Oct-07 18:34 ± < 00:01 UT at a distance of 0.10255 AU. H=17.7 magnitude, V relative=12.08 km/sec & 'Rarity'=1. The size is estimated to be1-2 km.

ST4v predicts that the peak brightness of 15.2 magnitude will occur from October 13 to 20. Brightness at close approach is estimated to be 15.6 magnitude. The predicted motion is ~8.5"/min at close approach decreasing to ~5"/min after October 22.

This NEO is best observerd from the southern hemisphere (weather permitting). Here's an IA chart showing the predicted path of this NEO from October 11-22 as seen from Brisbane, Australia: [attachment=2537]

I almost forgot to post this one.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

I am reposing below a question I received in a private email so that others could see my answer.

I was viewing over the weekend and decided to do a messier marathon. Using real time it listed the objects in order of the ones that set earlier were first on the list. After further review, about halfway down on the list there were objects that were getting ready to set and the objects that followed were in order of setting as well. It was like there were two lists combined. Being a Real time list it wouldn't let me sort by set time. The question is how are they sorted?. Is there a way to sort by setting time?

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