FAST mover 2022 AC4

[PMSchu]

The NEO 2022 AC4 is predicted to reach max brightness of 14.7 magnitude on 2022 Jan 10 ~2200 EST in Auriga. It will be slightly fainter, but closer & faster over the course of the next few hours reaching a speed of ~ 17"/sec! A real screamer.

The predicted path is shown here from Central Ohio (40°N):  [attachment=2183]

Parallax will affect all observations as this object is quite close. Also note that the time should read 20 - 23 hrs on 1/10 because the tens digit of the hours isn't displayed as BMD has noted in another post. I suspect that this is due to the length of the field allotted for the output character string being too short when seconds are part of the time output - an unusual occurrence.

Good hunting,

Phil S.

[theskyhound]

I have fixed the clipping of the hours part of the time in the upcoming update. It had to do with a change I made that made stripping a leading space from the hours part of the time unnecessary.

[PMSchu]

Hi Greg,

The missing tens digit on the hours threw me at first. It was only happening on the fast movers that had the seconds included in the tick labels. A pretty unusual situation in astronomy. Most things don't move that fast up there, if at all  .

BMD noticed.

Phil S.

[bigmasterdrago]

Awesome. Just one more thing I will not have to *think* about. Thank you Technoking.

[bigmasterdrago]

Hey Phil, totally missed that screamer. At 19'/min and mag 13.9, it was in range and just 2° off Polaris! I've been out the last several days so knew nothing about this one. I think our weather was stinky anyway. It will be clear one minute and then totally overcast the next.....

I found it interesting that the JPL had the small rock plotted 41" WNW of the MPC position.

[PMSchu]

Is the position difference between JPL & MPC due to a time difference along the track or is the track displaced?

Phil S?

[bigmasterdrago]

I have fixed the clipping of the hours part of the time in the upcoming update. It had to do with a change I made that made stripping a leading space from the hours part of the time unnecessary.

Is the position difference between JPL & MPC due to a time difference along the track or is the track displaced?

Phil S?

The orbits are slightly displaced. But at close approach, they were only 36", whereas the positions along the tracks appear to be ~34". So both time and track.

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Hardly worth the difference as it appears to be as bright as the mid 13s.