Follow-up of recent NEOCP from OASDG L07 - Part II

Below you can find a new selection (part I available here) of some objects for which we recently made follow-up observations at the "Osservatorio Salvatore di Giacomo, Agerola, ITALY" (MPC code L07; Observers E. Guido, A. Catapano, F. Coccia) while they still were on the NEOCP list. More details about the telescope, the  magnitude, number of images & exposition, asteroid speed & PA etc. are on the images. Click on each image for a bigger version. All the processing has been made with TYCHO software by D. Parrott.

COMET C/2020 V2 (ZTF), (neocp designation ZTF0G6I). Stacking of 25 unfiltered exposures, 120 seconds each, obtained remotely on 2020, Nov. 19.1 from L07 (Osservatorio Salvatore di Giacomo, Agerola) through a 0.5 m f/8 Ritchey Chretien + CCD, showed that this object is a comet with a diffuse coma about 7" in diameter and FWHM 3.3" compared to the average value of 2.1" for the stars of same magnitude.

 

2020 WH1 (neocp designation SaSza42) is an Apollo-type asteroid discovered by K88 GINOP-KHK, Piszkesteto, observer R. Szakats on November 17, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 33 m - 73 m (H=24.6) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 11.5 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.029 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0824 UT on 09 Nov. 2020.

 

2009 WY7 (neocp designation Sar2518) is an Aten-type asteroid (First observed at Lincoln Laboratory ETS, New Mexico on 2009-11-19) recovered by K88 GINOP-KHK, Piszkesteto, observer K. Sarneczky on November 22, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 40 m - 90 m (H=24.1) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 20.17 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.05184 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 1104 UT on 24 Nov. 2020.

 

2020 WO3 (neocp designation C3ZZY12) is an Aten-type asteroid discovered by G96 Mt. Lemmon Survey on November 22, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 67 m - 150 m (H=23.0) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 40.26 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.10345 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 1911 UT on 28 Nov. 2020.

 

 

COMET P/2005 CR16 = P/2003 WR168 = P/2020 W2 (NEAT-LINEAR) - (neocp designation C3XUF62). It is a comet discovered in survey images taken by Mount Lemmon Survey (G96) obtained on Nov. 16 UT. Subsequent follow-up astrometry and improved orbits allowed the MPC to find prediscovery positions and link the object to multi-opposition minor planet 2005 CR16 = 2003 WR168.

 

2020 WW3 (neocp designation C417PE2) is an Aten-type asteroid discovered by G96 Mt. Lemmon Survey on November 24, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 20 m - 45 m (H=25.6) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 9.12 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.02344 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0243 UT on 23 Nov. 2020.

 

 by Ernesto Guido

Follow-up of recent NEOCP objects from OASDG L07

Below you can find a selection of some objects for which we recently made follow-up observations at the "Osservatorio Salvatore di Giacomo, Agerola, ITALY" (MPC code L07; Observers E. Guido, A. Catapano, F. Coccia) while they still were on the NEOCP list. More details about the telescope, the  magnitude, number of images & exposition, asteroid speed & PA etc. are on the images. Click on each image for a bigger version. All the processing has been made with TYCHO software by D. Parrott.

2020 VX5 (neocp designation C3WZUQ2) is an Apollo-type asteroid discovered by G96 Mt. Lemmon Survey on November 15, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 55 m - 120 m (H=23.4) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 29 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.074 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 1950 UT on 11 Nov. 2020.

2020 VN1 (neocp designation A10sCsG) is an Aten-type asteroid discovered by T05 ATLAS-HKO, Haleakala on November 10, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 7.3 m - 16 m (H=27.8) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 1.19 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.00306 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0757 UT on 07 Nov. 2020.

2020 VF1 (neocp designation X71128) is a Centaur-type object discovered by D29 Purple Mountain Observatory, XuYi Station on November 08, 2020. At the discovery time it was at about 9.7 AU from the Sun.

2020 VM1 (neocp designation P219ias) is an Apollo-type asteroid discovered by F52 Pan-STARRS 2, Haleakala November 08, 2020. This asteroid has an estimated size of 190 m - 420 m (H=20.8) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 73 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.18 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 2033 UT on 01 Nov. 2020.

by Ernesto Guido

Close Approach of PHA Asteroid 2014 MF6

The asteroid 2014 MF6 was discovered (at magnitude ~17.0) on 2014, June 23.3 by Catalina Sky Survey (MPC code 703) with a 0.68-m Schmidt + CCD.

According to the preliminay orbit, 2014 MF6 is an Apollo type asteroid. This class of asteroids are defined by having semi-major axes greater than that of the Earth (> 1 AU) but perihelion distances less than the Earth's aphelion distance (q < 1.017 AU). It is also flagged as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid". PHA are asteroids larger than approximately 100m that might have threatening close approaches to the Earth (they can come closer to Earth than 0.05 AU).

2014 MF6 has an estimated size of 190 m - 420 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=20.7) and it will have a close approach with Earth at about 9.1 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0233 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 1939 UT on 2014, July 09. This asteroid will reach the peak magnitude ~15.3 on the period from 06 to 09 July 2014.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object on 2014, July 09.4, remotely from the Q62 iTelescope network (Siding Spring, AU) through a 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + focal reducer). Below you can see our image taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~15.3 and moving at ~ 40.43 "/min.  Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left (the asteroid is trailed in the image due to its fast speed).

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2014 MF6 (three consecutive 60-second exposure). Click on the thumbnail below to see the animation (East is up, North is to the right):

by Ernesto Guido, Nick Howes & Martino Nicolini

Close Approach of Asteroid 2013 PJ10

M.P.E.C. 2013-P39, issued on 2013 August 06, reports the discovery of the asteroid 2013 PJ10 (discovery magnitude 14.8) by La Sagra Sky Survey (MPC code J75) on images taken on August 04.9 with a 0.45-m f/2.8 reflector + CCD.

2013 PJ10 has an estimated size of 31 m - 70 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=24.6) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 1 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0025 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0218 UT on 2013, August 04. This asteroid reached the peak magnitude ~13.0 on August 04.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object on 2013, August 06.3, while it was still on the neocp, remotely from the H06 iTelescope network (New Mexico, Mayhill), through a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD. Below you can see our image, stack of 6X15-second exposures, taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~15.3 and moving at ~ 19.0 "/min. At the moment of the close approach 2013 PJ10 was moving at ~ 218"/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

Close Approach of Asteroid 2003 DZ15

M.P.E.C. 2013-O29, issued on 2013 July 20, reports the recovery of the Apollo asteroid 2003 DZ15 (magnitude 18) by F51 Pan-STARRS 1, Haleakala, on images taken on July 19.4 with a 1.8-m Ritchey-Chretien + CCD.

2003 DZ15 was discovered on February 2003 by 608 Haleakala-NEAT/MSSS and it has an estimated size of 95 m - 210 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=22.2) and it will have a close approach with Earth at about 9.1 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0233 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0037 UT on 2013 July 30. This asteroid will reach the peak magnitude ~16.5 on 29 and 30 July 2013. This is its closest approach to the Earth for this century, although it will make a pass nearly as close to the Earth in 2057 on February 12th.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object, from the Q62 ITelescope network (Siding Spring, AU) on  2013, July 28.6, through a 0.50-m f/6.8 astrograph + CCD + focal reducer. Below you can see our image, single 120-second exposure, taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~16.6 and moving at ~40.80 "/min. At the moment of the close approach 2003 DZ15 will move at ~52 "/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version (the asteroid is trailed in the image due to its fast speed).

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2003 DZ15 (three consecutive 120-second exposure). Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

Close approach of Asteroid 2013 ET

M.P.E.C. 2013-E14, issued on 2013 March 04, reports the discovery of the asteroid 2013 ET (discovery magnitude 16.9) by Catalina Sky Survey (mpc code 703) on images taken on March 03.3 with a 0.68-m Schmidt + CCD.

2013 ET has an estimated size of 64 m - 140 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=23.1) and it will have a close approach with Earth at about 2.54 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0065 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 1207 UT on March 09 2013. This asteroid will reach the peak magnitude ~15.0 on the first hours of March 09.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object on 2013, March 04.4, while it was still on the neocp, remotely from the Haleakala-Faulkes Telescope North, through a 2.0-m f/10.0 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD (Faulkes Telescope is operated by Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network). Below you can see our image, stack of 5X10-second exposures, taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~16.9 and moving at ~6.15"/min. At the moment of the close approach 2013 ET will move at ~ 153"/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left.

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2013 ET (three consecutive stacks of 5X10-second exposures each). North is up, East is to the left. Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

UPDATE - March 10, 2013

Due to its close approach, 2013 ET was a strong radar target at Goldstone. On a message on mpml, JPL Radar Team confirmed  they were able to detect radar echoes from 2013 ET at Goldstone on March 07.

"The radar signal-to-noise ratios were stronger than expected and we obtained images with a range resolution as fine as 7.5 meters/pixel, but even so, the images barely resolve the object into a few range rows because 2013 ET is so small.  The Doppler broadening (aka the bandwidth) of the echoes varies as the asteroid spins, so clearly it's somewhat elongated, and there are hints of irregularity in the shape in the images. We're planning to release some images after the track on March 10 when we should see more detail if things go well."

UPDATE - March 19, 2013

As announced on the previous update of this post, asteroid 2013 ET was successfully targeted by the 70-meter Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif. A sequence of radar images was obtained on March 10, 2013 by NASA scientists when the asteroid was about 1.1 million kilometers from Earth, which is 2.9 lunar distances.

"The radar imagery suggests the irregularly shaped object is at least 130 feet (40 meters) wide. The 18 radar images were taken over a span of 1.3 hours. During that interval, the asteroid completed only a fraction of one rotation, suggesting that it rotates once every few hours."

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSSR

by Ernesto Guido, Kris Rochowicz & Nick Howes

Close Approach of Asteroid 2013 CL22

M.P.E.C. 2013-C24, issued on 2013 Feb. 6, reports the discovery of the asteroid 2013 CL22 (discovery magnitude 16.7) by J75 OAM Observatory, La Sagra on images taken on February 05.06 with a 0.45-m f/2.8 reflector + CCD. 

2013 CL22 has an estimated size of 30 m - 68 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=24.7) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 1.2 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0031 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0743 UT on 2013 Feb. 02. This asteroid reached the peak magnitude ~13.1 on February 02 around 1600 UT.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object, from the H06 ITelescope network (near Mayhill, NM) on  2013, Feb. 05.4, through a 0.51-m f/6.9 reflector + CCD. Below you can see our image, stack of 15x15-second exposure, taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~16.9 and moving at ~6.07 "/min. At the moment of the close approach 2013 CL22 was moving at ~ 259"/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. 

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2013 CL22 (three consecutive 15x15-second exposure). Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

This asteroid has gone unnoticed through its close approach. In the period from January 30 to February 05 (discovery date) the asteroid was brighter than magnitude 20 (mag. ~19.8 on Jan. 30, ~18.4 on Jan. 31, ~15.6 on Feb. 01, ~13.5 on Feb. 02, ~15.9 on Feb, 03). Below you can see an animation showing the daily Sky Coverage by professional surveys (in red) and the position of the asteroid (yellow dot). Click on the thumbnail below to see a bigger version:

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

Close Approach of Asteroid (4179) Toutatis

4179 Toutatis was discovered by C. Pollas at Caussols (France) on January 4, 1989. 4179 Toutatis was first sighted on February 10, 1934, as object 1934 CT, and then promptly lost. It remained a lost asteroid for several decades until it  was discovered by Pollas.

According to Minor Planet Circ. 16444: "Named after the Gaulish god, protector of the tribe. This totemic deity is well known because of the cartoon series "Les aventures d'Asterix" by Uderzo and Goscinny. This tells the stories of two almost fearless heroes living in the last village under siege in Roman-occupied Gaul in 50 B.C., and whose only fear is that the sky may fall onto their heads one day. Since this object is the Apollo object with the smallest inclination known, it is a good candidate to fall on our heads one of these days... But as the chief of the village always says: "C'est pas demain la veille..." Citation written by the discoverer and A. Maury and endorsed by J. D. Mulholland, who with Maury obtained the discovery plates."

4179 Toutatis is a highly irregular body consisting of two distinct "lobes", with maximum widths of about 4.5 km and 2.4 km respectively (4.5 × 2.4 × 1.9 km; absolute magnitude H=15.3) and it had a close approach with Earth at about 18 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0463 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 0640 UT on Dec. 12, 2012. Its magnitude will be between 10.5 to 11 from December 11 through December 23, 2012.

Moreover, Toutatis will be the target of a flyby by the Chinese Chang'e 2 spacecraft on December 13, 2012   Chang'e 2 was originally launched to study the Moon but was diverted in April, 2012 for the asteroid encounter.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object just few hours before its 2012 close approach, from the I89 iTelescope network (Nerpio, Spain) on  2012, Dec. 11.9, through a 0.15-m f/7.3 refractor + CCD. Below you can see our image, single 120-second exposure, taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~10.5 and moving at ~20.7"/min. The asteroid is trailed in the image due to its fast speed. At the moment of the close approach 4179 Toutatis will move at ~ 21.86"/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. North is up, East is to the left.

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 4179 Toutatis (40 consecutive 10-second exposures). East is up, North is to the right. Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

Toutatis passes by Earth’s orbit roughly every 4 years. Four years ago it didn’t come quite so close (0.0502 AU). But four years before that (in September 2004) it missed us by just 0.0104 a.u., less than a quarter of its distance this time. The next notable close approach of Toutatis will be November 5, 2069, when the asteroid will fly by at a distance of only 0.0198 AU (7.7 lunar distances). See graphs below (click on it for bigger versions).

Credit: Hazards Due to Comets & Asteroids by T. Gehrels - University of Arizon Press

Credit: Hazards Due to Comets & Asteroids by T. Gehrels - University of Arizon Press

Thanks to its proximity and size Toutatis was a strong target for radar imaging. Astronomers of NASA's Goldstone radar were tracking the asteroid as it passes by Earth and they obtained images of unprecedented clarity. Click on the image below for a bigger version.

2012 Goldstone Radar Observations of (4179) Toutatis

According to  radar team member Michael Busch: "Toutatis appears to have a complicated internal structure. Our radar measurements are consistent with the asteroid's little lobe being ~15% denser than the big lobe; and they indicate 20% to 30% over-dense cores inside the two lobes.". This raises the interesting possibility that asteroid Toutatis is actually a mash up of smaller space rocks.  "Toutatis could be re-accumulated debris from an asteroid-asteroid collision in the main belt," he says.

UPDATE - December 18, 2012

The Chinese Chang'e 2 spacecraft has successfully imaged Toutatis during his flyby on December 13, 2012. See image below captured at 93–240 km distance between 16:30:09–16:30:24, maximum resolution 10 meters/pixel. Click on the image for a bigger version.

by Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes

Close Approach of Apollo Asteroid 2012 XZ6

M.P.E.C. 2012-X23, issued on 2012 Dec. 6, reports the discovery of the Apollo type asteroid 2012 XZ6 (discovery magnitude 15.4) by Catalina Sky Survey (mpc code 703) on images taken on December 05.3 with a 0.68-m Schmidt + CCD. 

2012 XZ6 has an estimated diameter of 290 m - 650 m (based on the object's absolute magnitude H=19.8). On December 01, 2012 this asteroid had a close approach with Earth at about 41.6 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.1069 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers). 2012 XZ6 reached the peak magnitude 15.9 during the period December 02-04, 2012.

We performed some follow-up measurements of this object while it was still on the Neocp, remotely from the H06 ITelescope network (near Mayhill, NM) on  2012, Dec. 05.44, through a 0.25-m f/3.4 reflector + CCD and from and remotely from the Siding Spring-Faulkes Telescope South (FTS) on 2012, Dec. 05.58, through a 2.0-m f/10.0 Ritchey-Chretien + CCD.

Below you can see our image, stack of 10x5-second exposures taken with the FTS, taken with the asteroid at magnitude ~16 and moving at ~16"/min. At the moment of the close approach on December 01, 2012 XZ6 was moving at ~ 19"/min. Click on the image below to see a bigger version. (North is up and East is to the left).

Below you can see a short animation showing the movement of 2012 XZ6 (10x5-second exposures). Click on the thumbnail for a bigger version:

Ernesto Guido & Nick Howes, for our friend/colleague Giovanni Sostero, who inspires us always.

Asteroid 2009 DD45 Close Approach

2009 DD45, an "Apollo" type asteroid, has been discovered on 2009, Feb. 27th, with the "Siding Spring Survey" 0.5-m Uppsala Schmidt + CCD:

http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/mpec/K09/K09D80.html

Few days later, on 2009, Mar. 2nd, about 13h40m UT, it made a close approach with Earth, passing only 72,000 Km away (i.e. 1/5th of the Earth-Moon distance, and about twice the height of geostationary satellites).

When we shoot our image, a couple of hours before its closest approach, this rock (about 35-m in diameter) was speeding at about 9 deg/hour in the southern constellation of Vela, shining at about magnitude 12. The 5 seconds exposure time was more than enough to record its trail among the field stars (details on image):

http://tinyurl.com/b7j4cd

by Paul Camilleri, Giovanni Sostero & Ernesto Guido