Lagniappe Observing

Jun 1, 2018

Confirmation Images of the COMET C/2018 K1 (Weiland)

On 2018 05 25 Henry Weiland an observer with ATLAS-MLO(Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System ---Mauna Loa) reported a possible comet to the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. This possible comet was reported using the observer-assigned temporary designation "A1072Wf". It was posted to the Possible Comet Confirmation Page(PCCP) and came to the attention of observer around the world. On 2018-05-26 I woke up, check iTelescope.net and saw that their facility in Siding Spring Observatory, AU was open. So had T30 started an imaging run of 60 - 60-second luminance BIN2 images and went out to eat breakfast. I got back made four stacks of 5 so can work around "stars that were in the way." I submitted my observations, as more observations came in and as the morning change to the afternoon, I saw my observations had poor residuals, so I did imaging run of 60 - 60-second luminance BIN2 images on T27.

A confirmation image of COMET C/2018 K1 (Weiland)
[was the PCCP(Possible Comet Confirmation Page)object A1072Wf] on 2018-05-26
from Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. (MPC Q62)
a stack of 5 - 60 second luminance BIN2 images taken with iTelescope.net's
(T30 TEL 0.50-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer)
By Steven M. Tilley

A confirmation image of COMET C/2018 K1 (Weiland)
[was the PCCP(Possible Comet Confirmation Page)object A1072Wf] on 2018-05-26
from Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. (MPC Q62)
a stack of 5 - 60 second luminance BIN2 images taken with iTelescope.net's
(T27 TEL 0.70-m f/6.6 reflector + CCD)
By Steven M. Tilley

Background

(as of 2018-05-31)

Object: COMET C/2018 K1 (Weiland)
Orbit Type: Halley-type Comet
First(Precovery) observation was made on: 2017 11 06.24388
First(Precovery) observation was made by: Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala (MPC Code F51)
Discovery observation was made on: 2018 05 25.54194
Discovery observation was made by : ATLAS-MLO, Mauna Loa (MPC Code T08)
The Discovery M.P.E.C.: MPEC 2018-K117: COMET C/2018 K1 (Weiland)
Last Observation (publish): 2018 05 30.34974 (from Steward Observatory, Kitt Peak - Spacewatch (MPC Code 691) )
Data-Arc Span (publish): 205 days
Number of Optical Observations(published): 91
Observatories reporting (published) observations(MPC Code):

(349) Ageo, Japan.
(372) Geisei, Japan.
(691) Steward Observatory, Kitt Peak - Spacewatch, US/Arizona.
(E23) Arcadia, Australia/NSW.
(F51) Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala, US/Hawaii
(H06) iTelescope Observatory, Mayhill, US/New Mexico
(H47) Vicksburg, US/Mississippi.
(I47) Pierre Auger Observatory, Malargüe, Argentina.
(I52) Steward Observatory, Mt. Lemmon Station US/Arizona.
(Q62) iTelescope Observatory, Siding Spring, Australia/NSW.
(T08) ATLAS-MLO, Mauna Loa, US/Hawaii.
(W88) Slooh.com Chile Observatory, La Dehesa, Chile.
(W96) CAO, San Pedro de Atacama (since 2013), Chile.
(Y00) SONEAR Observatory, Oliveira, Brazil.

Perihelion Distance 1.879151252869776 (AU)
Aphelion Distance: 57.90074646767503 (AU)

May 29, 2018

Re-Observing 2015 FP118 Another Look Almost Three Years later

When I am looking objects to observer, I try to find something within the capabilities of the telescope, interesting, and 'needing" observation. To these ends I check following lists:

NEO Confirmation Page(NEOCP) and Possible Comet Confirmation Page (PCCP)
The Impact Risk Monitoring lists(See Jon Giorgini's "Understanding Risk Pages" for more inofmation)

The Radar Support Lists (Arecibo or Goldstone)
Near-Earth Object Human Space Flight Accessible Targets Study (NHATS)
ESA's NEO Coordination Centre (NEOCC) Priority List

On 2018-05-28 I saw that 2015 FP118 was on both the Arecibo and Goldstone lists, needing astrometry, and it was within the capabilities of iTelescope.net's (T27 TEL 0.70-m f/6.6 reflector + CCD) so I went for it. As I was create a directory so I could downloading the .FITS(Flexible Image Transport System) files I found out that I observed 2015 FP118 for 19.6 min on 2015-06-06.

The NEO 2015 FP118 on 2018-05-28 from
Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. (MPC Q62)
a stack of 45 - 60 second luminance BIN2 images
taken with iTelescope.net's (T27 TEL 0.70-m f/6.6 reflector + CCD)
By Steven M. Tilley

The NEO 2015 FP118 on 2015-06-06 from
Siding Spring Observatory, Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. (MPC Q62)
a stack of 22 - 60 second luminance BIN2 images
taken with iTelescope.net's (T27 TEL 0.70-m f/6.6 reflector + CCD)
By Steven M. Tilley

Background

(as of 2018-05-29)

Object: 2015 FP118
Orbit Type: Apollo [NEO, PHA]
Approximate Diameter: 370 m - 820 m(1213.911 feet to 2690.289 feet) (Absolute Magnitude: H= 19.3)
On the Sentry Risk Table: NO( Removed 2015-04-02 15:53:35)
On the NEODyS CLOMON2 risk page: NO
Discovery observation was made on: 2015 03 21.57498
Discovery observation was made by Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala (MPC Code F51) The Discovery M.P.E.C.:MPEC 2015-F132: 2015 FP118
Last Observation (publish): 2018 05 28.56107 (at iTelescope Observatory, Siding Spring, Australia (MPC Code Q62) )
Data-Arc Span (publish): 1164 days (3.19 yr)
Number of Optical Observations(published):133
Observatories Reporting (Published) Observations(MPC Code):

(204) Schiaparelli Observatory,Italy.
(290) Mt. Graham-VATT,US/Arizona.
(291) LPL/Spacewatch II,US/Arizona.
(568) Mauna Kea, US/Hawaii.
(691) Steward Observatory, Kitt Peak - Spacewatch US/Arizona.
(703) Catalina Sky Survey, US/Arizona.
(711) McDonald Observatory, Fort Davis, US/Texas.
(807) Cerro Tololo Observatory, La Serena, Chile.
(926) Tenagra II, US/Arizona.
(D29) Purple Mountain Observatory, XuYi Station
(F51) Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala US/Hawaii.
(G96) Mt. Lemmon Survey, US/Arizona.
(Q62) iTelescope Observatory, Siding Spring

Perihelion Distance 0.9541884017671265 (AU)
Aphelion Distance: 3.28765938878308 (AU)
Earth MOID (Earth center to NEO center): 0.029858 AU ((11.62 LD)), ( 701.09 Earth radii) or 2,775,474.494 miles ( 4,466,693.22 ( KM))[If the Earth was the size of a Basketball this would be 276.261 Feet(84.204 Meters)]
Next Close-Approach to Earth: Will safely pass Earth on 2018-Sep-03:

Minimum Distance(Earth center to NEO center) of 0.0314378825351047 (AU) (12.235 (LD)), (738.195 Earth radii) or 2,922,333.75 miles ( 4,703,040.286 (KM))
Nominal Distance(Earth center to NEO center) of 0.031438612821003 (AU) (12.235 (LD)), (738.212 Earth radii) or 2,922,401.634 miles (4,703,149.536 (KM))
Maximum Distance(Earth center to NEO center) of 0.0314393431490244 (AU) (12.235 (LD)), (738.229 Earth radii) or 2,922,469.522 miles (4,703,258.791 (KM))

Goldstone Asteroid Schedule: Yes 2018 Sep (Needs Astrometry: Yes Needs Physical Observations: Yes)
On the Arecibo Asteroid Schedule: YES, Dates: 2018 Aug (Request Optical Astrometry: YES , Request Optical Lightcurve:YES, Request Optical Characterization YES)

May 21, 2018

A Scale Model of the Earth if the Earth was the Size of a Basketball as of 2018-05-20

A Scale Model of the Earth if the Earth was the Size of a Basketball - Radius 12.0275 CM(4.73523622 inches)

Top of the Troposphere--0.038cm (0.015inches) 0.001 Ft
Top of the Stratosphere--0.113cm (0.045inches) 0.004 Ft
Top of the mesosphere--0.227cm (0.089inches) 0.007 Ft
STS-1(Perigee)--0.453cm (0.178inches) 0.015 Ft
STS-1(apogee)--0.474cm (0.187inches) 0.016 Ft
ISS(Perigee)--0.757cm (0.298inches) 0.025 Ft
ISS(apogee)--0.770cm (0.303inches) 0.025 Ft
Top of the Thermosphere--1.133cm (0.446inches) 0.037 Ft

The 50 closest observed NEO Earth close approaches as of 2018-05-20

01. The 2011-Feb-04 fly by of 2011 CQ1--10.347cm (4.074inches) 0.339 Ft
02. The 2008-Oct-09 fly by of 2008 TS26--11.816cm (4.652inches) 0.388 Ft
03. The 2004-Mar-31 fly by of 2004 FU162--12.351cm (4.862inches) 0.405 Ft
04. The 2016-Feb-25 fly by of 2016 DY30--14.978cm (5.897inches) 0.491 Ft
05. The 2017-Apr-04 fly by of 2017 GM--18.681cm (7.355inches) 0.613 Ft
06. The 2017-Oct-20 fly by of 2017 UJ2--21.756cm (8.565inches) 0.714 Ft
07. The 2011-Jun-27 fly by of 2011 MD--23.184cm (9.127inches) 0.761 Ft
08. The 2014-Jun-03 fly by of 2014 LY21--25.810cm (10.161inches) 0.847 Ft
09. The 2009-Nov-06 fly by of 2009 VA--26.590cm (10.469inches) 0.872 Ft
10. The 2012-May-29 fly by of 2012 KT42--27.263cm (10.734inches) 0.894 Ft
11. The 2017-Mar-02 fly by of 2017 EA--27.420cm (10.795inches) 0.900 Ft
12. The 2016-Sep-11 fly by of 2016 RN41--32.749cm (12.893inches) 1.074 Ft
13. The 2015-Sep-22 fly by of 2015 SK7--38.208cm (15.043inches) 1.254 Ft
14. The 2016-Jan-12 fly by of 2016 AH164--38.293cm (15.076inches) 1.256 Ft
15. The 2013-Dec-23 fly by of 2013 YB--39.225cm (15.443inches) 1.287 Ft
16. The 2017-Nov-26 fly by of 2017 WE30--44.815cm (17.644inches) 1.470 Ft
17. The 2016-Mar-11 fly by of 2016 EF195--47.677cm (18.771inches) 1.564 Ft
18. The 2008-Oct-20 fly by of 2008 US--50.052cm (19.705inches) 1.642 Ft
19. The 2004-Dec-19 fly by of 2004 YD5--51.949cm (20.452inches) 1.704 Ft
20. The 2013-Feb-15 fly by of 367943 Duende (2012 DA14)--52.259cm (20.574inches) 1.715 Ft
21. The 2015-Nov-15 fly by of 2015 VY105--53.303cm (20.985inches) 1.749 Ft
22. The 2016-Jan-14 fly by of 2016 AN164--57.900cm (22.795inches) 1.900 Ft
23. The 2010-Nov-17 fly by of 2010 WA--61.321cm (24.142inches) 2.012 Ft
24. The 2018-Jan-18 fly by of 2018 BD--61.859cm (24.354inches) 2.030 Ft
25. The 2015-Feb-17 fly by of 2015 DD1--62.075cm (24.439inches) 2.037 Ft
26. The 2014-Sep-07 fly by of 2014 RC--63.313cm (24.927inches) 2.077 Ft
27. The 2011-Feb-06 fly by of 2011 CF22--63.839cm (25.134inches) 2.094 Ft
28. The 2016-Sep-07 fly by of 2016 RB1--64.398cm (25.354inches) 2.113 Ft

Geosynchronous orbit--67.559cm (26.598inches) 2.216 Ft

29. The 2008-Nov-03 fly by of 2008 VM--75.248cm (29.625inches) 2.469 Ft
30. The 2004-Mar-18 fly by of 2004 FH--80.665cm (31.758inches) 2.646 Ft
31. The 2017-Oct-12 fly by of 2012 TC4--82.650cm (32.540inches) 2.712 Ft
32. The 2010-Oct-12 fly by of 2010 TD54--85.742cm (33.757inches) 2.813 Ft
33. The 2017-Jan-30 fly by of 2017 BH30--85.850cm (33.799inches) 2.817 Ft
34. The 2010-Nov-30 fly by of 2010 XB--87.847cm (34.586inches) 2.882 Ft
35. The 2013-Apr-18 fly by of 2013 HT25--89.662cm (35.300inches) 2.942 Ft
36. The 2017-May-04 fly by of 2017 JB2--93.008cm (36.617inches) 3.051 Ft
37. The 2014-Aug-31 fly by of 2014 RA--95.026cm (37.412inches) 3.118 Ft
38. The 2016-Apr-04 fly by of 2016 GN134--95.974cm (37.785inches) 3.149 Ft
39. The 2012-May-28 fly by of 2012 KP24--96.122cm (37.843inches) 3.154 Ft
40. The 2015-Apr-21 fly by of 2015 HD1--99.566cm (39.199inches) 3.267 Ft
41. The 2017-Oct-28 fly by of 2017 UL6--100.460cm (39.551inches) 3.296 Ft
42. The 2014-Mar-06 fly by of 2014 EC--104.224cm (41.033inches) 3.419 Ft
43. The 2009-Feb-27 fly by of 2009 EJ1--104.330cm (41.075inches) 3.423 Ft
44. The 2017-Aug-14 fly by of 2017 QP1--106.229cm (41.823inches) 3.485 Ft
45. The 2017-Mar-20 fly by of 2017 FN1--107.355cm (42.266inches) 3.522 Ft
46. The 2012-Mar-26 fly by of 2012 FS35--109.577cm (43.140inches) 3.595 Ft
47. The 2012-Jan-27 fly by of 2012 BX34--111.432cm (43.871inches) 3.656 Ft
48. The 2008-Mar-10 fly by of 2008 EF32--112.584cm (44.324inches) 3.694 Ft
49. The 2009-Oct-01 fly by of 2009 TB--119.071cm (46.878inches) 3.907 Ft
50. The 2007-Oct-17 fly by of 2007 UN12--119.600cm (47.087inches) 3.924 Ft

Light-second. 566.000cm (222.820inches) 18.568 Ft
Lunar distance (perigee)--673.000cm (265.000inches) 22.095 Ft
Lunar distance--714.000cm (281.000inches) 23.414 Ft
Lunar distance (apogee)--766.000cm (302.000inches) 25.128 Ft
Light-minute--34000.000cm (13400.000inches) 1114.101 Ft

Moon Equatorial radius--3.280cm (1.292inches) 0.108 Ft
Moon Equatorial radius Diameter--6.560cm (2.584inches) 0.215 Ft
Moon Equatorial Circumference--20.600cm (8.117inches) 0.676 Ft

Earth radius--12.000cm (4.735inches) 0.395 Ft
Earth (Equatorial) diameter--24.100cm (9.470inches) 0.789 Ft
Earth (Equatorial) Circumference--75.600cm (29.752inches) 2.479 Ft

See the spreadsheet The 50 closest observed NEO Earth close approaches as of 2018-05-20.xlsx

May 11, 2018

The NEO 2010 WC9 on 2018-05-10

The NEO 2010 WC9 on 2018-05-10 from Mayhill, New Mexico [New Mexico Skies](MPC Code H06)
a stack of 13-60 Second Luminance BIN2 Images taken with iTelescope.net's
(T11 TEL 0.50-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer)
By Steven M. Tilley

If the Earth was the Size of a basketball the flyby of the asteroid 2010 WC9 would be ~3.7 Meters(~12.2 feet) away. https://goo.gl/3SXrMg

May 1, 2018

What's Up for May 2018

Apr 26, 2018

Confirmation Images of the NEO 2018 HH2

The NEO 2018 HH2( ZH0A971) on 2018-04-24
from Sierra Remote Observatory, Auberry, California, USA (MPC U69)
a stack of 15 - 15 Second Luminance BIN2 images
taken with iTelescope.net's (T24 TEL 0.61-m f/6.5 reflector + CCD)
By Steven M. Tilley

See: MPEC 2018-H89 : 2018 HH2

MPC Database
JPL Small-Body Database

Near Earth Objects - Dynamic Site

Apr 23, 2018

Confirmation images of the NEO 2018 HC1

A confirmation image of the NEO 2018 HC1 on
2018-04-21 from Siding Spring Observatory,
Coonabarabran, NSW, Australia. (MPC Q62)
a stack of 15 - 05 Second Luminance BIN2
images taken with iTelescope.net's
(T30 TEL 0.50-m f/6.8 reflector + CCD + f/4.5 focal reducer)
By Steven M. Tilley