Some asteroids and a comet, 4th November 2013

[lukebl]

Here's a few record captures from my session last night taking astrometric measurements of some asteroids. Boring and not very pretty pictures, but I could study these things for ever! These were all captured with my 250mm f/4.7 Newtonian and SXVF-H9 mono cam.

This one is recently-discovered Near-Earth Asteroid 2013 RM43. Magnitude 16. It makes a close approach of around 12 million km on November 7th. This is a single 120-second exposure, and it's movement is so rapid that it forms a distinct line. Possibly 600m across, so it could do a fair bit of damage (nay, global castastrophe) it it came too close!

Here's an animation of 5 x 120 second exposures

Here's it's orbit and current position, from the JPL website

This one is 2007 SJ, also moving rather fast and 16th magnitude. This one makes a close approach of 7 million km in January. Stacked on the asteroid:

2007 SJ, 5 x 120s exposures stacked on the stars

This is (94) Aurora, a large 190 km dark, carbonaceous Main Belt asteroid. Much brighter at mag. 12.

And and animation of Aurora's movement over 40 minutes:

And finally, a quick record capture of Comet 154P Brewington, around 11th magnitude. 10 x 120 second exposures:

[emadmoussa]

Wonderful.

[JB80]

Excellent set Luke.

[Astroscot2]

Greatr stuff Luke,  nowt boring at all