Asteroids near NGC3628 ??

[Bukko]

HI, all,

I was collecting subs of NGC3628 (one of the Leo triplet) a few nights ago and I am pretty certain I have captured a couple of asteroid trails.

Please see attached photo.

This is just the Luminence subs, 6 off 5 minute subs, then some RGB's and back to luminence again.

Middle left shows some dashes and another set bottom right, just underneath the big, shiny star.

I woulld be interested in trying to identify them, so does anyone know where we can get details of known asteroids? Like a stellarium, or something, for asteroids?

Thanks, in advance.

Gordon.

[sologuitarist61]

Fascinating - great image

[lukebl]

You can download the latest asteroid elements into Carte du Ciel. I had a quick look, and there are several 18th mag asteroids in the vicinity, but they move fairly fast, so it would help to know the precise date and time.

[Bukko]

Thanks, Richard, it's no-where near completed and this was a quick stack to show the tracks, then cropped and shrunk to be posted...

Luke, the subs were captured from 21:35 on the 1st April (no kidding !!) through to 01:35 on the 2nd. I have not seen the program you mentioned, but will try over the weekend.

At least it's something dfferent to the usual planes, meteors and satellites that try to add character to my attempts at imaging !!

Gordon.

[lukebl]

Lovely image, by the way!

I've checked and the two asteroids are 14.7 magnitude (813) Baumeia and 15.9 magnitude (6259) Maillol. Nicely captured. If you really want to study asteroid astrometry, try the free program Astrometrica.

[Bukko]

Thanks, Luke,

I Googled the asteroids you mentioned, they are not really very big and considering the distances, I am impressed we nailed them.

But I kind of fluked the asteroids; our field of view from the garden is pretty shocking - houses, trees and a hugh petrochemical complex to the SE messes with the air, so seeing conditions are often poor.

For now, I am playing with our 'scope, no more than 5 years to retiring, then I plan to find some truly dark skies and move there.

My OO VX12 can then be re-mirrored, housed in a carbon tube and with a bigger mount, it would make a good asteroid hunter.

Then I want a 20" Planewave, or similar and try my hand at spectrometry...

But I will look at the PixInsight settings and be less dismissive of any trails I see in future..

Gordon.