Catch a fast-moving asteroid January 26

Astrophotography: share your photos & discuss techniques
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AstroGeek
15+ Years Member
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Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:39 pm

Catch a fast-moving asteroid January 26

Unread post by AstroGeek »

A 9th magnitude asteroid will whizz by Jupiter/Procyon/Beehive Cluster on January 26-27. Great photo op!!
See the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l59RNNhVlKo
Steve L
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WCGucfa
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Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:39 pm

Re: Catch a fast-moving asteroid January 26

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Thanks, Steve,

I'm going to give it a try if the weather cooperates.

Bill G.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
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Pete
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Joined: Fri Jun 13, 2003 9:03 pm

Re: Catch a fast-moving asteroid January 26

Unread post by Pete »

I've finally got my camera drivers straightened out and am back in business after being down for 2 weeks. 357439 (2004 BL86) is a potentially hazardous 1 km sized Apollo. It'll be moving away as it rises and at 11 PM it'll be 1.4 million miles distant and screaming by with an apparent motion of 2°/hour. It'll be about 9th magnitude and readily visible with a small telescope. I think that 3-second exposures will be used here. This kind of NEO is usually on the predicted track but timing can be off by as much as 1/2 hour. So the game plan is to pick a good area in its path and run the camera as it enters/passes through/ exits the field. With my setup the total pass thru the frame will take only 8 minutes.

The 10 day forecast guesses clearing early Tuesday night with temperatures in the teens. Let's hope.

Pete
Pete P.
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