Look at this puppy go!

Folks - I was trawling through the MPC lists yesterday when I came across an asteroid that observations were requested for. Arecibo was scheduled to take measurements but a fault prevented it doing so. They were looking for physical measurements (magnitude, light-curves etc) but I figured astrometric positions would do them

MPL23187 is a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) and came close to Earth on 6th March. It seems it was perturbed somewhat.

So, I fired up J65 and imaged away. Well, the speed of this thing blew my socks off! This is a 3 minute and 18 second animation. Exposures greater than 5 seconds resulted in an out-of-shape blob!

www.astroshack.net/gallery/solarsys/solarsys.php

Top left image...


On top of that, I took the astrometric measurements and the asteroid is off the MPC prediction in RA by 1.5 arcsec on average. So it must have been affected as it passed us close by.

Anyhow, enjoy!

Dave

Wow! Dr.Dave

That's a great effort Dave, nice and clear last night, without 'amatuers' the professionals would be lost!

Keith..

Dr. Dave. Um. Perhaps if I keep at this long enough someone will have pity and give me an honourary PhD. If its good enough for Roy Keane...

I think Arecibo were interested in seeing if there were any 'physical' changes to the asteroid. I guess close passes to Earth (or any other large body), as well as perturbing an orbit, might be enough to alter the shape. If it was a 'loose rubble pile' for instance...

However, their technical faults scuppered the opportunity. Astrometric measurements alone may add something to the data pile, especially as my measurements showed a fair change in the object's orbit. But there's always the chance Arecibo may call me to get copies of the original images . Of course, they can have them in return for a PhD...

Cheers

Dave

ps - love the sig. Is that copyrighted?

Of course, they can have them in return for a PhD...

Now you're talkin' !!!

Just picked up that signature on an astrophotography e-mail forum - just looked random to me!! Use it if you want also...

Keith..

Great work Dave...now your going for PHA's ...its a lovely animation and the asteroids rapid movment is very obvious!!

nice animation

Got one question: The image seems to rotate a bit, should that be?