CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized, Apollo class NEA, 2007 VM184, will make a close approach on 2025-Dec-01 09:38±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.03341 AU, moving with V Relative=20.02 km/sec, H=21.1 magnitude, diameter 160 m - 370 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of 2025 Nov 25, there is a 6588 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.0326265 AU. The solution date was 2025-Nov-25 07:34:43 PST. The initial reported observation was by Catalina Sky Survey on 2007-11-12. This object is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools. This close approach is nearly at the MOID. The next approach nearly this close is on 2084-Dec-01 02:48±<00:01 UT at 0.03708 AU.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Nov 25 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.19 Visual Pro predicts that 2007 VM184 will reach peak brightness of 15.4 magnitude in the early evening of 2025 Nov 29 when the NEA will be 0.037 AU distant traveling through Camelopardalis at ~40"/minute. The close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Dec 1 at 0500 EST (1000 UT) with the NEA still traveling through Camelopardalis at 49"/minute and 15.8 magnitude. This NEA is predicted to be brighter than 16 magnitude from Nov 27 (in Auriga) to Dec 1 (in Cepheus).

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2007 VM184:    

The orbit for this object is well defined so the elements provided by the MPC should yield accurate positions.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Hello All,

Christina LeGrand here.  Question, please.  I have just now found out about the Bootes Supervoid and the Cold Spot.  Obviously, I have been living under a rock.  I found coordinates for these two unbelievable phenomena, and would like to add them to an observing list.  I have tried to upload a text file and a csv file, but it is not working.   Does anyone have a txt / csv file I can use as an example?  I am trying to upload via Nightly Planner --> Get Observing List --> Read from Text File.  

Thank you for any info or help!
Christina LeGrand

An 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.11.19 (2025 November 16)

• New version 4.1 feature: SkyTools can start in Night Vision mode via a check box on the Preferences dialog.
  
• A crash was fixed that occured when the Today, Tomorrow, or Yesterday buttons were used on the Date Dialog
  
• Various minor fixes were made.
  

I am trying to use ST4v to build some well composed images where none of the targets are at the center of the image.  Can I move my Camera Viewer box around and then do a copy of the center's coordinates to paste in another program?  I've tried picking out the center myself, using a star as the target, but wanted something more direct.

Roy Wellington

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized NEO, (3361) Orpheus, will make a close approach on 2025-Nov-19 01:27±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.03792 AU moving with V Relative=9.08 km/sec, H=19.5 magnitude, diameter 0.3 km and ''Rarity'=1. As of November 2 there is a 15898 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and the Earth MOID=0.0146456 AU.  The solution date was 2025-Nov-02 05:20:33 PST. (3361) Orpheus was discovered on 1982-04-24 by Torres, C. at Cerro El Roble. This is the closest approach to earth until the approach on 2091-Apr-18 22:50 ± < 00:01 UT at a distance of 0.02113 AU. This NEO is on MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Nov 3 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that (3361) Orpheus will reach a peak brightness of 14.7 magnitude on the morning of 2025 November 14 when the NEO will be 0.05 AU distant traveling through Lepus at 14"/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 November 18 at 2000 EST with the the NEO 0.04 AU distant traveling through Puppis at 20.4"/minute and 15.3 magnitude, but below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. (3361) Orpheus is currently 15.5 magnitude in Taurus, 0.09 AU distant.

Here's the Object Info dialog for (3361) Orpheus:    

The orbit for this object is well defined and it won't pass too close-by so elements from the MPC at Today's Epoch may be accurate enough to find this NEO.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Hello Greg
I have Skytools Imaging Version 4.1.11.18
When I change the date of local evening to "Tonight" under Target Selection, Skytools simply closes.
I am able to select a date in the Calendar, and Skytools updates its self normally.
Can you think what could be causing this?

Thank you
Adrien Richardson

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized, Apollo class NEO 2020 FA5, will make a close approach on 2025-Oct-26 02:21±2_01:36 UT at a distance of 0.04032 AU moving with V Relative=26.54 km/sec, H=21.1 magnitude, diameter 160 m - 350 m and 'Rarity'=1. There is a 55 day observation arc, the Condition Code=6 and the Earth MOID=0.009919 AU. The solution date was 2022-Oct-10 05:55:11 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala on 2020-03-22. The observation arc was extended by 3 observations on 2020-02-19 by Palomar Mountain--ZTF. With the uncertainty in the close approach time, close approach could be between 0.00987 AU and 0.08373 AU. This NEO is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download using SkyTools.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Oct 21 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro Predicts that 2020 FA5 will reach a peak brightness of 14.9 magnitude on the morning of October 28 with the NEO 0.03 AU distant traveling through Taurus at 56"/minute. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 October 26 at 2100 EDT (October 27 0100 UT) with the NEO 0.02 AU distant traveling through Monoceros at 15.5 magnitude and 103"/minute, but below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2020 FA5:     

Hopefully this object will be observed again befor the close approach and the orbit can be refined further.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered Apollo class NEO, 2025 TP5, will make a close approach on 2025-Oct-15 20:08±00:06 UT at a distance of 0.00065 AU moving with V Relative=8.37 km/sec, H=26.5 magnitude, diameter 13 m - 30 m and 'Rarity'=2. As of Oct 13 there is a 1 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.000603145 AU. The solution date was 2025-Oct-13 23:42:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by ATLAS-MLO, Mauna Loa on 2025-10-13. Its next close approach is predicted on 2051-Dec-13 09:15 ± 4_12:35 UT at a nominal distance of 0.04 AU. This NEO 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 the epoch 2025 Oct 14 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that 2025 TP5 will reach a peak brightness of 12.6 magnitude on 2025 Oct 15 at 1500 EDT (1900 UT) with the NEO 110.3k km distant traveling through Andromeda at 14.1"/second, but in daylight in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Oct 15 at 1600 EDT (2000 UT) with 2025 TP5 103.5k km distant traveling through Cassiopeia at 16.6"/second and 12.7 magnitude in daylight in Columbus. This NEO is predicted to be brighter than 16 magnitude on the morning of October 15 in Aquarius and in the evening of October 15 in Ursa Major.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 TP5:    

Since this NEO will pass very close by, observers should follow the instructions in the 'Important Thread' at the top of this forum section to download the most up-to-date orbital elements for the best accuracy.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

Here's an article about the CLOSE approach of the meter-sized NEO, 2025 TF, that shot past us at over 120"/second on 2025 Sep 30.

https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2025/10...759952444/

Like many of these objects, it was detected on the way back out. SkyTools predicted that it reached 13th magnitude. Since I was only calculating positions every hour, it may have gotten even brighter.

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the kilometer-sized NEO, (164206) 2004 FN18, will make a close approach on 2025 Nov 7.

Using MPC's orbital elements for 2025 Sep 22 0000 UT, ST4.1.11.18 Visual Pro predicts that (164206) 2004 FN18 will reach a peak brightness of 14 magnitude at a distance of 0.12 AU on the morning of 2025 Oct 31 while traveling through Cetus at 7.26"/minute. This NEO is currently 0.2 AU distant traveling at 1.64"/minute through Triangulum at 16.2 magnitude.

I'll provide an update closer to the time of the close approach, but wanted to alert observers to this large NEO's coming pass as it should be visible for several days around the close approach.

Good hunting,

Phil S.