2020SO aka Centaur upper stage

[Rob_Jn]

Managed to catch this last night moving eastwards across Gemini as it passed close to the Earth. This has been designated an asteroid but is in all probability the upper stage of the Centaur rocket that launched the ill-fated Surveyor to the Moon in 1966. I think the image confirms this is man made as it appears to be tumbling and possibly glinting in the moonlight every ~10s.

This is a gif of 3 frames 60s each through my 12" f5 reflector, 23:10 to 23:12UT.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_SO

 

[FenlandPaul]

Fascinating - thanks for posting! 

[Rob_Jn]

Thanks 😊

I meant to mention JPL had the predicted mag as 14 but I think it was more like 15-16, maybe 14 in the ‘glints’.

NASA updated the story yesterday.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=7795&utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nasajpl&utm_content=daily20201202-1
 

confirming the spectrum matches another Centaur stage wandering about up there 😊