2018 FE4

[PMSchu]

I ran an experiment using just my PC with no other programs running. I downloaded just 29,598 of the NEA MP. I left out those with older epochs (~215) and the two P-L rocks. So just the rocks from the MPC NEA file with epoch dates 2459800.5JD. I let the PC process all of them to an epoch date of 2459846.90428378JD (current PC time). That process took about 35 seconds on my old W7Pro64 desktop. So I actually think that ST is doing the processing after downloading the NEA rock file. It may take ST longer if the epoch date of the file is farther from the current "today's epoch".

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BMD,


I noticed that CNEOS still doesn't list a close approach for this MP. It's almost within reach of one of the iTelescopes. Maybe I'll try to image it.

Hope this helps,

Phil S.

I noticed that Spaceweather also ignores this rock. I suspect it is due to the fact that it is lost with such a short arc (10 days). Odd, as its period is ~770 days (2.11 years).
If you run their positions to the discovery date, they're only an arc second apart or less (Lowell, JPL, & MPC). Clearly, it was nowhere near Earth the two most recent passes (4/28/2020 & 6/7/2022) when ~1AU from the sun. Although much closer on Sept 26, if we believe the elements given.

Sorry, BMD, I don't do dates in JD. What are they in regular date notation? Are you saying that ST4v changed the epoch dates of the elements? I didn't know that it could do that. Greg has mentioned that SkyTools does a lot of preprocessing to speed up the plotting of MPs on the charts. I think that's what's happening after the file is downloaded.

Did you watch the dialog as the processing was occurring to see how many objects were Added, Updated & Skipped?

According to CNEOS's Orbit Viewer, 2018 FE4 comes within 0.061 AU on 2022 Sep 29, but the event isn't listed in their close approach table. That's strange.

Phil S.

Phil S.