This morning I noticed a big jump in the number of MPs discovered in the month of June - 2198 total. The reason is that the Vera C. Rubin observatory is now operating and it discovered ~2000 MPs already.

Here's an article about the observatory: https://www.space.com/astronomy/the-rubi...lions-more

Enjoy,

Phil S.

There is a new bright Nova in Lepus, Nova Lep 2025. Its magnitude 7.8, low in the southern sky at around 10:30 PM from mid -northern latitudes.

Ensure that your "Current Bright Novae and Supernovae" subscription is enabled (Setup ->  Manage Subscriptions). The list will be automatically updated or you can force it from the dialog.  Open in the Nightly Planner (Visual) or Target Selection (Imaging) Tool. To find it, sort on magnitude, brightest at the top.

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2025 LT will make a close approach on 2025-Jun-23 09:53±00:45 UT at a distance of 0.00862 AU moving with V Relative=14.47 km/sec, H=24.2 magnitude, diameter 39 m - 87 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of 2025 Jun 16, the Condition Code=8, so the orbit isn't well defined yet.

This NEO may reach a peak brightness of 14.2 on Jun 23, so it's worth watching.

Phil S.

CNEOS predicts that the medium-sized NEO, 2003 AY2, will make a close approach on 2025-Jun-22 04:09±<00:01 UT at a distance of 0.03630 AU moving with V Relative=15.95 km/sec, H=19.8 magnitude, diameter 290 m - 650 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of 2025 Mar 21 there is a 8137 day observation arc, the Condition Code=0 and Earth MOID=0.0221058 AU. The solution date was 2025-Mar-21 05:48:49 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Lowell Observatory-LONEOS on 2003-01-02. This NEO is on the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs). It's predicted to pass at 0.02761 AU on 2094-Jun-18 23:54 ±  00:02 UT.

Using MPC's orbital elements for the epoch 2025 Jun 16 0000 UT, ST4.1.1.15 Visual Pro predicts that the close approach will occur (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Jun 22 0000 EDT with the NEO 0.04 AU distant traveling through Centaurus at 36"/minute and 15.1 magnitude, but below the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. The peak brightness of 14.7 magnitude is broad, occurring from June 23-25 with the NEO past close approach, traveling from Centaurus into Lupus. The best view from Columbus occurs on 2025 Jun 24 2300 EDT in Lupus traveling 23"/minute at 14.7 magnitude.

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2023 AY2:    

This NEO is not passing very close and the orbit is well defined so the orbital elements provided by the MPC via ST4 should yield good accuracy.

Good Hunting,

Phil S.

I guess it was just a matter of time, but here we are. The primary way that I keep spam off this forum is to ensure that a new poster makes a reasonable post before they are accepted. Unfortunately, people from certain parts of the world are now using AI to help them make these posts. Their posts are still pretty obvious, but I have had to change how I determine what is "reasonable" as a result. Posts from new accounts that contain no useful information (me too, excellent response, etc.) are now being summarily deleted. It is possible that I may be deleting a few that are legit. 

If you are new here and want to fit in, please consider introducing yourself. Tell us about the kind of astronomy you do and about the equipment you use. Note also that we have a discord.

Hello,

I noticed something weird last night, I'll make a list on Skytools 4 of about 300 objects in a constellation. Than when I transfer them over to Skysafari Pro 6, about half the list will only be added.
I always thought it would say unrecognized object for any object added that was not recognizable. Instead, I notice 1-2 unrecognizable ones per list and all the rest aren't there. I noticed 
SKytools 4 has different RA/DEC numbers. They are always off by a minute or so. Or perhaps Skysafari's are off, not sure. There's seem to be on date numbers, while Skyttols 4 are J2000 numbers, perhaps that's the issue? In the SKysafari app precession options I have current epoch turned on, says 2000 right underneath. Include nutation, aberration, proper motion, light time are not turned on, dynamic time and refraction are turned on. 
 
No idea what's causing this. On some of these lists even the Berkeley objects won't appear. If I search for Berkeley though, it will appear on skysafari. I don't know, weird. 

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2025 LK, will make a close approach on 2025-Jun-08 19:48±00:05 UT at a distance of 0.00066 AU, moving with  V Relative=10.27 km/sec,  H=26.9 magnitude, diameter 11 m - 24 m and 'Rarity'=2. As of 2025 Jun 6, there is a 3 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.000546596 AU. The solution date was 2025-Jun-06 09:12:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2025-06-05. The observation arc was extended 2 days by pre-discovery observations on 2025 Jun 3 at Palomar Mountain--ZTF. This NEO is too small to make the MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) that you can download with SkyTools.

Using MPC's elements for the epoch 2025 May 5 0000 UT downloaded on 2025 Jun 6 (this object wasn't in the NEOs at Today's Epoch datafile - too new), ST4.1.1.15 Visual Pro predicts that this NEO will reach a peak brightness of 15 magnitude on 2025 Jun 8 ~1300 EDT (~1700 UT) at a distance of 156.1k km traveling through Draco at ~500"/minute in daylight, near the horizon in Columbus, Ohio. Close approach is predicted (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Jun 8 1600 EDT (2000 UT) at a distance of 103.6k km and 16 magnitude traveling through Camelopardalis at 20.9"/second, but in daylight in Columbus, Ohio.

Here's the Object Info data for 2025 LK:    

Since this NEO will pass close to earth and the orbit is still being refined with new observations, observers should follow the directions for downloading orbital elements described in the Important Thread at the top of this forum section.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

If I wanted to create a list of common alignment stars for a specific night, how would I do that? like say June 15th at 10pm?

I tried Database Powersearch and magnitude < 1.7

but I couldn't get it to select a specific night?

I'd like to make a map and print it and study them. going to a star party and want to be prepared.

thank you!

Hi All,

This thread concerns a strange process in observing logs. Hope I used the right forum to describe the problem.

Last night, I made some observations, and as I do routinely, I wanted, to day, to enter my notes in ST4. 
Opening the "New log Defaults" windows, I wanted to precise my observations details: I opened the "observing location" windows, and as expected, ST4 asked me the choice between "ask" and "select from list". 
I chose select from list, and ST4 showed me all my observing locations.
Right now, all seemed correct.

But the problem occurred when I wanted to define my instrument. As usual, I clicked on the "instrument" windows, and ST4 showed me the usual choice between "ask" and "select from list". I chose to click on "select from list", the usual window opened, but in it, there was only "naked eye", and nothing more. 
None of my numerous instruments.
I verified in "set up / telescopes", all my instruments were perfectly detailled.

I recommenced the process several times, without any improvement.
As I do routinely a back up of logs, lists, and notes after each session, I restore ST4 from my last back up. The problem was exactly the same.

I would like to know if I did a mistake, or if it is a bug of the ST4 visual 1.11.15. 
Many thanks for your help

Bertrand
Marseille, France

CNEOS predicts that the newly discovered NEO, 2025 LB, will make a close approach on 2025-Jun-04 07:07±00:03 UT at a distance of 0.00102 AU, moving with  V Relative=11.21 km/sec, H=26.7 magnitude, diameter 12 m - 27 m and 'Rarity'=1. As of 2025 Jun 2, there is a 1 day observation arc, the Condition Code=7 and the Earth MOID=0.000791639 AU. The solution date was 2025-Jun-02 08:12:02 PDT. The initial reported observation was by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala on 2025-06-01. This NEO is too small to make MPC's list of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs). CNEOS lists its last close approach as occurring in June 1933 at a nominal distance of 0.00560 AU.

Using MPC's elements for the epoch 2025 May 5 0000 UT (downloaded on 2025 Jun 2), ST4.1.1.15 Visual Pro predicts that this NEO's close approach will occur (to the nearest hour) on 2025 Jun 4 0300 EDT (0700 UT) with the NEO 156.1k km distant traveling through Lynx at 14.2"/second and 16.7 magnitude. Peak brightness is predicted on 2025 Jun 3 2300 EDT (Jun 4 0300 UT) with the NEO 233.8k km distant, traveling through Canes Venatici at 408"/minute and 15.8 magnitude.  This object is so new that it wasn't added to MPC's file of NEOs at Today's Epoch that ST4 can download from the MPC website. I had to download the orbital elements for a single object. That always provides the standard epoch for the elements (currently 2025 May 5 0000 UT).

Here's the Object Info dialog for 2025 LB:    

Since this object will pass very close and it's a recent discovery, observers should follow the directions in the Important Thread at the top of this forum section to download orbital elements close to their time of observation. This NEO will be moving very quickly across the sky at close approach and at 16.7 magnitude will require a large telescope to see it.

Good hunting,

Phil S.