2022 BH7 5 Stars!

[PMSchu]

The Apollo class MP 2022 BH7 is predicted to reach 13.9 magnitude Feb 18@0000 EST at Re 0.02 AU. The predicted motion is 90.5"/min when it will be in Gemini.  It's currently in Sextans at 18.9 magnitude moving at 46.9"/hr. ST4 predicts it will be visible from Feb 14 (15.6 mag) to 18 (14.7 mag). CNEOS lists the Condition Code as 8 with 8 days of observations (35 observations).

This looks like a good one with plenty of warning!

Good luck,

Phil S,

[bigmasterdrago]

Good catch. Thanks! The moon is near full but ~70° away. For me, best viewed when 70° up in the SSE ~9pm on 17th. Looks like a 2 hour window either way. I'll bet there will be another batch of observations over the next few weeks as this rock creeps up on us from below and outside our orbit. It tries to pass over the top but cannot catch up (fairly high e & i).

Did your hair get ruffled by 2022 CG yesterday? Only bright, close and fast in twilight but ripping by at 4.5'/min. Another one gets by b4 detection.

[PMSchu]

Doesn't give you a lot of confidence in our ability to see these things coming, does it? For as many as they spot, there's always another 2022 CG. 10-33m would make quite a splash. At 350k km it wasn't that close. 2022 BH7 is 10x larger, but will pass farther away.

Phil S.

[ledge1962]

Like watching the movie Armageddon, but in real life

[bigmasterdrago]

They have added near 30 observations but the condition code is still showing as 8. The error window has dropped a bit.

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Definitely keeping tabs on this one!

[bigmasterdrago]

The error time window has dropped to 19 minutes with now 70 observations over 11 days. Condition code now 7. Nice work major observatories. Table Mountain Observatory, Shasta Valley Grenada, Mauna Kea, Cerro Tololo, Spacewatch, Mt. Lemmon, MAP, San Pedro de Atacama and Catalina Sky Survey are adding to the tally. Should continue as the rock is well placed. Like Phil says, good warning on this one. This one should be within reach visually from my yard in the 13 incher.

[bigmasterdrago]

Conditions may be good for the pass tonight about the end of astronomical twilight if we can believe our clear sky chart:  https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/ObrnDSTXkey.html

The error window now at CNEOS is showing <1 minute with 195 observations over a 21 day arc. The last one being on Feb 16.00149UT by the Nomad Observatory, Kochevanchik.

Having just snagged the 12.8 mag 2022 CO6 a few nights ago, I'll see if I can get a mag deeper under better conditions. I'll also have the 13" baffle connected. The Moon will be just below the eastern horizon 60° away while the rock will be up 52° at azi 112°. As always, I've edited the elements with osculating from Horizons for Feb. 18 01:00UT and the ST ephemeris agrees with Horizons and other specialty software to within a few ".