The MP 2013 BO76 is predicted to make a close approach best visible from the southern hemisphere in the next few days. According to ST4v the current predicted position is in Centaurus at 15.8 magnitude. Peak brightness is predicted to occur around 2022 Mar 22 0300 EDT, but that's in daylight for Australia. It's predicted to be 16th magnitude or brighter from Mar 18 - 25.

Phil S.

Here's a fun one. Fetch the osculating elements at horizons for a new temporary designation 2 meter rock called 2022 EB5. Or at https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K22/K22EH8.html. Make sure to grab them a few days prior to now as this little rock splashed down north of Iceland ~21:23UTC today. Not found in MPC Today, MPC or JPL. Interesting to watch the track get highly perturbed as it enters the Earth/Moon system ~20:00UT. It was just discovered by a Hungarian observatory today at 00:48UT so only 20 hours b4 impact. Amazing stuff! Only a couple of other observatories made a few contributing astrometric observations b4 impact. The last one being at 2022 03 11.87033UT. There seems to be an image at https://www.projectpluto.com/temp/ds9_10.png
Should be some sonic detections coming soon.

The last update to version 4.0j R12 Visual broke the “Type” column. It now displays what looks thing that should be in description. No longer Galaxy, Glob, Open Cluster. I now get type as “Young, Very Old, Elliptical, Lenticular”, ect. How do I fix this?    

Hi MP Hunters,

The NEO 2022 ES3 is predicted to reach maximum brightness of 16.6 magnitude at midnight on March 14 in Japan. It will be 439,000 km from earth moving at 400"/min. through Ursa Major.

With the nearly full moon interfering, a large scope will be needed to observe this fast-moving object.

Good luck,

Phil S.

I've uploaded a new video that offers a behind the scenes look at how the Current Lists are created.

https://youtu.be/UlPq0zJpnXA

I replaced the above video with a new one, minus the annoying buzz in the audio. I apologize of your comment on the video was lost in the process.

Hi MP Hunters,

In the past 2 days, I've noticed that some newly discovered NEAs that are listed on JPLs CNEOS website: NEO Earth Close Approaches (nasa.gov)

are not included in the MPC's data file of NEAs at Today's Epoch. The elements can be downloaded from MPC using the single MP option in ST4v, but then you get the elements for the standard epoch (currently 2022 Jan 21 0000UTC). Better than nothing, I suppose.

Two NEO that were missed were 2022 EG, yesterday & 2022 EQ today. 2022 EQ came within 0.00097 AU this morning. A really close pass.

There's not really much to be done about it. It's nice that SkyTools can get the orbital elements from MPC & will update the elements from the standard epoch with newer elements when they're available.

Phil S.

SkyTools 4 imaging does not start with the current date, but some date that I had previously used.  Planning could be a week off before I catch that.  Is there any way to make it start with the current date as default?  ST3 always started with the current date.

The NEO (455176) 1999 VF22 has a close approach with us from the morning of Feb 19 to Feb 21. Maximum brightness is predicted to be ~16 magnitude. This one is good size, but not too close.

Here's the Object Information dialog: [attachment=2276]

Good hunting,

Phil S.

There's a bright supernova in NGC 4645B in Centaurus. According to the updated Current Bright Novae & Supernovae Observing List in ST4 Visual this Type I SN is 0.3 magnitude. If you're not checking this OL regularly, you might want to do so. The Dec is -41° so it's pretty far south.

Phil S.

The recently discover small rock 2022 CO6 will make a close pass to me on Feb 15 @2:52 while ~mag 13.2 moving 517"/min thru Gemini into Auriga. A bright near full moon will be 30° away! The fast moving small rock will be brighter (12.8) on the evening of the 14th but closer to the Moon. Drats!! I plan to attempt an observation anyway as the skies are predicted to be clear. And the rock will be moving only a bit slower 6'/min.