2022-04-26, 05:02 PM
Hi BMD,
I saw this NEO listed on the CNEOS website yesterday, but the orbital elements weren't included in the MPC's NEAs at Today's Epoch data file yesterday. Today it's included. The ST4v ephemeris predicts a maximum brightness of 16.3 magnitude on Jun 12 @0400 EDT when it will be in Cepheus moving at 81.2"/min. When I calculate the ephemeris for these objects, I'm more interested in the maximum brightness than Min Re or motion across the sky, since if it's too faint, nothing else matters. Most of these objects tend to be fainter than 16 magnitude.
It will be interesting to see if the predicted path changes much in the next few weeks. The Re is currently 0.2 AU, but it will come much closer. According to ST4v the current brightness is 21.5 magnitude in Coma Berenices.
Phil S.
I saw this NEO listed on the CNEOS website yesterday, but the orbital elements weren't included in the MPC's NEAs at Today's Epoch data file yesterday. Today it's included. The ST4v ephemeris predicts a maximum brightness of 16.3 magnitude on Jun 12 @0400 EDT when it will be in Cepheus moving at 81.2"/min. When I calculate the ephemeris for these objects, I'm more interested in the maximum brightness than Min Re or motion across the sky, since if it's too faint, nothing else matters. Most of these objects tend to be fainter than 16 magnitude.
It will be interesting to see if the predicted path changes much in the next few weeks. The Re is currently 0.2 AU, but it will come much closer. According to ST4v the current brightness is 21.5 magnitude in Coma Berenices.
Phil S.