Lagniappe Observing: 2017

Nov 28, 2017

The Moon Live 2017-11-27

Tonight(2017-11-27) was bad night my cell phone fell off the telescope then bounce of my second floor balcony...now it stop working.

Nov 26, 2017

Nov 5, 2017

Confirmation Images of the Comet C/2017 T3 on 2017-10-25 &26

Oct 31, 2017

Moon On The Night Of 2017 10 30

Oct 29, 2017

Oct 25, 2017

The Moon Live -- Night of 2017-10-26

Weather permitting on Oct 26, 2017 at 7:45PM CDT/8:45PM EDT (Oct 24, 2017 00:45 UTC) see the moon live over the internet from from my apartment in Baton Rouge Louisiana. Using a Sky-Watcher 8" f/5.9 Traditional Dobsonian Telescope, 25mm Plossl Eyepiece, Filters, 2x Barlow Lens, Universal Astronomical Camera Adapter Smartphone Capturer Holder, and a Galaxy J3 6

Moon Live -Night of 2017-10-24

Oct 11, 2017

The Flyby By a "Astronomical Yard" of 2012 TC4

On 2017 October 12, the asteroid 2012 TC4 will flyby the Earth. This flyby has received a great deal of coverage in the media. When comes to media coverage of any asteroid flybys one of the most overused expressions is "close shave." Anyone who ever had to shave for work knows what a close shave is and what one is not. By comparing the solar system to the known universe, Pluto would be a "close shave" astronomically speaking. However, the subject at hand is the flyby of the Earth by an asteroid, therefor the Earth may serve a useful point of comparison.

If one wishes to simplify the matter, one could create a scale model of the Earth by way of a spreadsheet. If, one uses a ball with a diameter of 29.21 cm (11.5 inches) [this happen to be same as the as the length of a football ball(American)] to represent the Earth:

A CM would be 436.2204724 KM, an inch would be 1108 KM.
The International Space Station would be 9.2 mm away.
Geosynchronous orbit would be 820.4 mm, 0.8204 m, or 0.8972 yards
2012 TC4 Nominal Distance(JPL)[2017-Oct-10] would be 1003.6 mm, 1.0036 m, or 1.0976 yards
Light-second would be 6872.5 mm, 6.8725 m, or 7.5159 yards
Lunar distance would be 8666.1 mm, 8.6661 m, or 9.4773 yards.

It should be noted since the start of The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign the orbital uncertainty has been dramatically reduced. This many of made much of media coverage in the blogosphere out of date.
Useful Links:

Fast Rotation of the NEA 2012 TC4 Indicates a Monolithic Structure by Polishook, D. in The Minor Planet Bulletin (ISSN 1052-8091). Bulletin of the Minor Planets Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 42-43 (2013)
Space Situational Awareness(ESA) -- 2012 TC4
Near Earth Objects Dynamic Site--2012 TC4
(MPC) Observations --2012 TC4
JPL Orbit Diagram --2012 TC4
Close Approach of Asteroid 2012 TC4(Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Remanzacco Observatory, Italy)
NEO Earth Close Approaches (JPL) (upcoming)
JPL's NEO Earth Close-Approaches (Between 1900 A.D. and 2200 A.D- limited to encounters with reasonably low uncertainty)
The Tracking News
NEO Coordination Centre
Speed of Light - Space - Distance Calculator
Asteroid Hazards: The View from Space(MPC)
Don’t fear apocalyptic asteroids: you’re safer than you think
Understanding Risk Pages By Jon Giorgini
Revised asteroid scale aids understanding of impact risk
Near Earth, Objects Scale Helps Risk Communication
Dealing With the Impact Hazard: An International Project
The Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale
An Asteroid as Entered the Blogosphere… Should I Be Worried? A commentary by Steven M. Tilley
International Asteroid Warning Network
Impact Risk Assessment: An Introduction - Near-Earth Object Program
Hazardous NEO Technical Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions For Impact Risk Assessment
How to Find an Impact Orbit for the Earth-Asteroid Collision
The Asteroid/Comet Impact Hazard
Whom should we call? Data policy for immediate impactors announcements
NEO Search & Follow-Up
NEOs' Science pages by Livia Giacomini
Torino Scale(JPL)
Find_Orb --- Orbit determination software - Project Pluto
Guide to Minor Body Astrometry(MPC)
Asteroid - Impact Simulator (Impact Earth!) by Purdue University,
On-line Find_Orb
2012 TC4 Planning - JPL radar page
The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign
Asteroid Flyby to Help NASA Observation
Astronomical units to Earth radius (AU to RE)
The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign (University of Maryland)
The Asteroid 2012 TC4 is Making a Safe Close-Approach on October-12-2017 Please Stand By For a Media Storm

Oct 8, 2017

The Asteroid 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-07

The Asteroid 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-07 from Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia (MPC Code Q62) useing iTelescope.net's (TEL T30 0.50-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer)

Useful Links:

Will asteroid 2012 TC4 hit Earth in October 2017?
Fast Rotation of the NEA 2012 TC4 Indicates a Monolithic Structure by Polishook, D. in The Minor Planet Bulletin (ISSN 1052-8091). Bulletin of the Minor Planets Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 42-43 (2013)
Space Situational Awareness(ESA) -- 2012 TC4
Near Earth Objects Dynamic Site--2012 TC4
(MPC) Observations --2012 TC4
JPL Orbit Diagram --2012 TC4
Close Approach of Asteroid 2012 TC4(Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Remanzacco Observatory, Italy)
NEO Earth Close Approaches (JPL) (upcoming)
JPL's NEO Earth Close-Approaches (Between 1900 A.D. and 2200 A.D- limited to encounters with reasonably low uncertainty)
The Tracking News
NEO Coordination Centre
Speed of Light - Space - Distance Calculator
Asteroid Hazards: The View from Space(MPC)
Don’t fear apocalyptic asteroids: you’re safer than you think
Understanding Risk Pages By Jon Giorgini
Revised asteroid scale aids understanding of impact risk
Near Earth, Objects Scale Helps Risk Communication
Dealing With the Impact Hazard: An International Project
The Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale
An Asteroid as Entered the Blogosphere… Should I Be Worried? A commentary by Steven M. Tilley
International Asteroid Warning Network
Impact Risk Assessment: An Introduction - Near-Earth Object Program
Hazardous NEO Technical Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions For Impact Risk Assessment
How to Find an Impact Orbit for the Earth-Asteroid Collision
The Asteroid/Comet Impact Hazard
Whom should we call? Data policy for immediate impactors announcements
NEO Search & Follow-Up
NEOs' Science pages by Livia Giacomini
Torino Scale(JPL)
Find_Orb --- Orbit determination software - Project Pluto
Guide to Minor Body Astrometry(MPC)
Asteroid - Impact Simulator (Impact Earth!) by Purdue University,
On-line Find_Orb
2012 TC4 Planning - JPL radar page
The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign
Asteroid Flyby to Help NASA Observation
Astronomical units to Earth radius (AU to RE)
The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign (University of Maryland)
The Asteroid 2012 TC4 is Making a Safe Close-Approach on October-12-2017 Please Stand By For a Media Storm

Oct 7, 2017

The Asteroid 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-06

The NEO 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-06 from AstroCamp Observatory. Nerpio, Spain (MPC I89) a stack of 45-60 Second Luminance BIN2 Images taken with iTelescope.net's (TEL T07 0.43-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD)
(C) Steven M. Tilley

The NEO 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-06 from AstroCamp Observatory. Nerpio, Spain (MPC I89) a stack of 15-60 Second Luminance BIN2 Images taken with iTelescope.net's (TEL T07 0.43-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD)
(C) Steven M. Tilley

Useful Links:

Will asteroid 2012 TC4 hit Earth in October 2017?
Fast Rotation of the NEA 2012 TC4 Indicates a Monolithic Structure by Polishook, D. in The Minor Planet Bulletin (ISSN 1052-8091). Bulletin of the Minor Planets Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 42-43 (2013)
Space Situational Awareness(ESA) -- 2012 TC4
Near Earth Objects Dynamic Site--2012 TC4
(MPC) Observations --2012 TC4
JPL Orbit Diagram --2012 TC4
Close Approach of Asteroid 2012 TC4(Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Remanzacco Observatory, Italy)
NEO Earth Close Approaches (JPL) (upcoming)
JPL's NEO Earth Close-Approaches (Between 1900 A.D. and 2200 A.D- limited to encounters with reasonably low uncertainty)
The Tracking News
NEO Coordination Centre
Speed of Light - Space - Distance Calculator
Asteroid Hazards: The View from Space(MPC)
Don’t fear apocalyptic asteroids: you’re safer than you think
Understanding Risk Pages By Jon Giorgini
Revised asteroid scale aids understanding of impact risk
Near Earth, Objects Scale Helps Risk Communication
Dealing With the Impact Hazard: An International Project
The Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale
An Asteroid as Entered the Blogosphere… Should I Be Worried? A commentary by Steven M. Tilley
International Asteroid Warning Network
Impact Risk Assessment: An Introduction - Near-Earth Object Program
Hazardous NEO Technical Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions For Impact Risk Assessment
How to Find an Impact Orbit for the Earth-Asteroid Collision
The Asteroid/Comet Impact Hazard
Whom should we call? Data policy for immediate impactors announcements
NEO Search & Follow-Up
NEOs' Science pages by Livia Giacomini
Torino Scale(JPL)
Find_Orb --- Orbit determination software - Project Pluto
Guide to Minor Body Astrometry(MPC)
Asteroid - Impact Simulator (Impact Earth!) by Purdue University,
On-line Find_Orb
2012 TC4 Planning - JPL radar page
The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign
Asteroid Flyby to Help NASA Observation
Astronomical units to Earth radius (AU to RE)
The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign (University of Maryland)
The Asteroid 2012 TC4 is Making a Safe Close-Approach on October-12-2017 Please Stand By For a Media Storm

Oct 2, 2017

The Asteroid 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-01

The NEO 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-01 from
Sierra Remote Observatory. Auberry California USA (MPC U69)
a stack of 34-120 Second Luminance BIN2 Images
taken with iTelescope.net's
(TEL T24 0.61-m f/6.5 reflector + CCD)
(C) Steven M. Tilley

The NEO 2012 TC4 on 2017-10-01 from
Sierra Remote Observatory. Auberry California USA (MPC U69)
a stack of 15-120 Second Luminance BIN2 Images
taken with iTelescope.net's
(TEL T24 0.61-m f/6.5 reflector + CCD)
(C) Steven M. Tilley

Background

(as of 2017-10-01)

Object: 2012 TC4
Orbit Type: Apollo [NEO]
Approximate Diameter: 12m- 27 m (39.3701 feet to 88.5827 feet)(Absolute Magnitude: H= 26.7)
On the Sentry Risk Table: Yes

NOTE this is NOT a prediction of an impact but rather a statement there is insufficient observational data rule out an impact -- for more information read Understanding Risk Pages by Jon Giorgini

Torino Scale 0

"The likelihood of a collision is zero, or is so low as to be effectively zero. Also applies to small objects such as meteors and bodies that burn up in the atmosphere as well as infrequent meteorite falls that rarely cause damage.."

On the NEODyS CLOMON2 risk page: Yes

NEODyS Recovery Campaign: 2017-08-31 to 2017-10-24

Discovery observation was made: 2012 10 04.467661
Discovery observation was made by Pan-STARRS 1 (MPC Code F51) The Discovery M.P.E.C.: MPEC 2012-T18 : 2012 TC4
Last Observation (publish): 2017 09 28.45648 (by the at Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala (MPC Code F51 ) )
Data-Arc Span (publish): 1820 days (4.98 years)
Number of Optical Observations(published):445
Observatories Reporting (Published) Observations(MPC Code):

(089) Nikolaev, Ukraine.
(104) San Marcello Pistoiese,Italy.
(113) Drebach, Germany.
(204) Schiaparelli Observatory,Italy.
(291) LPL/Spacewatch II, US/Arizona.
(300) Bisei Spaceguard Center-BATTeRS, Japan.
(309) Cerro Paranal, Chile.
(461) Szeged University, Piszkéstető Stn. (Konkoly), Hungary.
(470) Ceccano, Italy.
(695) Kitt Peak, US/Arizona.
(703) Catalina Sky Survey, US/Arizona.
(716) Palmer Divide Observatory, Colorado Springs, US/Colorado.
(718) Tooele (N40.641406 W112.295800) US/Utah.
(807) Cerro Tololo Observatory, La Serena,Chile.
(857) Iowa Robotic Observatory, Sonoita US/Arizona.
(900) Moriyama, Japan.
(932) John J. McCarthy Obs., New Milford, US/Connecticut.
(B04) OAVdA, Saint-Barthelemy,Italy.
(B88) Bigmuskie Observatory, Mombercelli, Italy.
(C32) Ka-Dar Observatory, TAU Station, Nizhny Arkhyz, Russia.
(C77) Bernezzo Observatory, Italy.
(E10) Siding Spring-Faulkes Telescope South, Australia/NSW.
(F51) Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala, US/Hawaii.
(F65) Haleakala-Faulkes Telescope North, US/Hawaii.
(G40) Slooh.com Canary Islands Observatory,Canary Islands (Spain).
(G48) Harlingten Research Observatory, Rancho Hildalgo, US/New Mexico.
(G96) Mt. Lemmon Survey,US/Arizona.
(H01) Magdalena Ridge Observatory, Socorro, US/New Mexico.
(H06) iTelescope, Mayhill, US/New Mexico.
(H17) Angel Peaks Observatory,US/Colorado.
(H21) Astronomical Research Observatory, Westfield, US/Illinois.
(H36) Sandlot Observatory, Scranton, US/Kansas.
(J04) ESA Optical Ground Station, Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain).
(J16) An Carraig Observatory, Loughinisland,UK.
(J84) South Observatory, Clanfield,UK.
(J95) Great Shefford,UK.
(T09) Mauna Kea-UH/Tholen NEO Follow-Up (Subaru), US/Hawaii.
(T12) Mauna Kea-UH/Tholen NEO Follow-Up (2.24-m),US/Hawaii.
(U69) iTelescope SRO Observatory, Auberry, US/California.
(W85) Cerro Tololo-LCO A, Chile.

Perihelion Distance: 0.9339351095314381(AU)
Aphelion Distance:1.877536903700616(AU)
Earth MOID (Earth center to NEO center):0.000146791 AU (0.057( LD)), (3.446 Earth radii) or 13,645.076 miles ( 21,959.471 (KM))
Next Close-Approach to Earth: Will safely pass Earth on 2017-Oct-12 at a

Minimum Distance(Earth center to NEO center) of 0.000335152723175429(AU) (0.13(LD)), (7.8697 Earth radii) or 31,154.392 miles (50,138.134(KM))
Nominal Distance(Earth center to NEO center) of 0.000335252629744477(AU) (0.13(LD)), ( 7.8720 Earth radii) or 31,163.679 miles ( 50,153.08(KM))
Maximum Distance(Earth center to NEO center) of 0.000335352538623426(AU) (0.13 (LD)), (7.8744 Earth radii) or 31,172.966 miles (50,168.026(KM))

Goldstone Asteroid Schedule: Yes 2017 Oct ( Needs Astrometry: No Physical Observations Yes)

Useful Links:
- Will asteroid 2012 TC4 hit Earth in October 2017?
- Fast Rotation of the NEA 2012 TC4 Indicates a Monolithic Structure by Polishook, D. in The Minor Planet Bulletin (ISSN 1052-8091). Bulletin of the Minor Planets Section of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, Vol. 40, No. 1, p. 42-43 (2013)
- Space Situational Awareness(ESA) -- 2012 TC4
- Near Earth Objects Dynamic Site--2012 TC4
- (MPC) Observations --2012 TC4
- JPL Orbit Diagram --2012 TC4
- Close Approach of Asteroid 2012 TC4(Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Remanzacco Observatory, Italy)
- NEO Earth Close Approaches (JPL) (upcoming)
- JPL's NEO Earth Close-Approaches (Between 1900 A.D. and 2200 A.D- limited to encounters with reasonably low uncertainty)
- The Tracking News
- NEO Coordination Centre
- Speed of Light - Space - Distance Calculator
- Asteroid Hazards: The View from Space(MPC)
- Don’t fear apocalyptic asteroids: you’re safer than you think
- Understanding Risk Pages By Jon Giorgini
- Revised asteroid scale aids understanding of impact risk
- Near Earth, Objects Scale Helps Risk Communication
- Dealing With the Impact Hazard: An International Project
- The Palermo Technical Impact Hazard Scale
- An Asteroid as Entered the Blogosphere… Should I Be Worried? A commentary by Steven M. Tilley
- International Asteroid Warning Network
- Impact Risk Assessment: An Introduction - Near-Earth Object Program
- Hazardous NEO Technical Reviews
- Frequently Asked Questions For Impact Risk Assessment
- How to Find an Impact Orbit for the Earth-Asteroid Collision
- The Asteroid/Comet Impact Hazard
- Whom should we call? Data policy for immediate impactors announcements
- NEO Search & Follow-Up
- NEOs' Science pages by Livia Giacomini
- Torino Scale(JPL)
- Find_Orb --- Orbit determination software - Project Pluto
- Guide to Minor Body Astrometry(MPC)
- Asteroid - Impact Simulator (Impact Earth!) by Purdue University,
- On-line Find_Orb
- 2012 TC4 Planning - JPL radar page
- The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign
- Asteroid Flyby to Help NASA Observation
- Astronomical units to Earth radius (AU to RE)
- The 2012 TC4 Observing Campaign (University of Maryland)
- The Asteroid 2012 TC4 is Making a Safe Close-Approach on October-12-2017 Please Stand By For a Media Storm

Aug 7, 2017

The Asteroid 2012 TC4 Has Been Recovered

his animation depicts the safe flyby of asteroid 2012 TC4 as it passes under

Earth on Oct. 12, 2017. While scientists cannot yet predict exactly how

close it will approach, they are certain it will come no closer than 4,200

miles (6,800 kilometers) from Earth's surface.Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The observers O. Hainaut, D. Koschny, and M. Micheli using the 8.2-meter VLT (Very Large Telescope) at Cerro Paranal, Chile(MPC Code 309) have recovered the asteroid 2012 TC4. The asteroid was observed from 2017 07 27.2465042 to 2017 08 05.39707023 and five observations were taken. The new observations greatly lowers the uncertainty where it will be in the future.

Given the closeness of the October 12, 2017 close approach and the fact that 2012 TC4 is listed on risk list(for 2020 an beyond) created a buzz on the internet 2012 TC4. On July 28, 2017 NASA announced an observation campaign headed by Dr. Vishnu Reddy. NASA plans to close approach to test their "network of observatories and scientists who work with planetary defense."