MAP Alert #280, April 9, 2008
More news from Gerard Faure, a little observing success,
and a little ALPO news highlight this spring MAP Alert.
Gerard Writes:
Hi to all,
The spring is not a famous season to observe during numerous nights and effectively the weather predictions are bad for
the next ten days here. Fortunately, the most part of the night of April 04-05,2008 was starry and under the sky I saw again
10 asteroids !
On April 04,2008 I saw :
------------------------
1382 Gerti
v14.8-14.8
1528 Conrada v14.8-14.9 B/0.2-B/0.1
840
Zenobia v15.0-15.1 F/0.5-F/0.6 Old MAP object
1855 Korolev
v15.1-15.2 F/0.1-F/0.2
3861 Lorenz v15.2-15.4
3428
Roberts v15.3-15.3
3198 Wallonia
v15.5-15.4 F/0.9-F/0.8 Old MAP object + Mars-crosser
3446 Combes
v15.6-15.6
8059 Deliyannis v15.6-15.8 0.0-F/0.2 Recent MAP object
37384
2001 WU1 v16.1
Mars-crosser
The original discrepancies of magnitude were confirmed for (840) Zenobia and (3198) Wallonia. It was not the case
for (8059) Deliyannis which certainly is variable because it was 0.5 magnitude brighter for Roger and 0.2 magnitude fainter
for myself.
Among many possibilities, I chosen (3446) Combes because I know this French Astronomer who is a specialist of asteroids
and notably of NEA; In 1982, he made a book in French named "la Terre bombardée" which is updated in 2008
on his website
:
and precisely at :
If you read French, we shall read many relations between old legends and earth craters or astronomical events in the
past. It's a very interesting book !
You can see also many tables on the NEA in his website, updated
continuously in
the part named "LA LISTE DES NEA CONNUS" at :
Thanks for the observing and reading suggestion on asteroids Gerard.
Clearing skies came thru last night for observing the moon near the Pleiades, hope a few readers got to see the treat
as well. While I have seen this in times past, I took the time to use my camera to both image and video the pair as seen in
my 20x 80mm binoculars. A lunar close up came out not too good, but the seeing was poor due to low sky position. The video
contained no stars, but I really did not expect it. While results were just a test, the fun was 100% successful.
ALPO news for the minor planet section.
While my asteroid book project never made it to press, the ideas are still good and fresh. I plan to create a project
for observers new to
asteroids/astronomy in general at the ALPO website. The project will be called "The Planets of Dawn".
This is of course a project to observe Vesta and Ceres. I plan to take a little advise from my publisher and present (hopefully)
a not too wide ranging program to place observers in the field to see or image these objects. It would be a shame if the ALPO
did not have such a project ready for persons seeking this type of program. While this may be "pie in the sky" I would
like to see science teachers approach local astronomy clubs to get their most interested students in the field. I plan to
suggest observing in just binoculars, and leave telescopes to those who can show them the objects, with help of star charts
our own "Dawn" website. It would
also be nice to do well enough to get a link on the real Dawn site as well. More pie in
the sky, high hopes cost nothing these days. And of course sneak in as much teaching as I dare as well. Sound good?
I can see this added on later by observing NEA's as well, way down the line.
As they say here in the USA "part of a complete breakfest", I hope the planets of Dawn can round out at least a few observers
interest in
the Dawn probe results, not only in study online, but real time as well.
Comments are very welcome on this project.
********************************************************
MAP Alert #379, April 1, 2008
Greetings MAP Observers!
Did the header show with this alert coming from my MSN account? I've tried to paste in the address to see if it works,
would be nice!
(follow up, an error forced me to use the earthlink account :( )
News from Gerard Faure hightlights this April Fool's day MAP alert, with the header fool me again?
Gerard Writes>
Hello to all,
By chance, the night between Saturday and Sunday here was pure and starry, just before a new wave of rains !
I began this night by the vision of the very bright ISS following the
bright European ATV Jules Verne over the Vercors
mountains at 19H30 UT before their disappearance in the shadow of Earth ! It was amazing to see the two objects only separated
by some degrees in the Sky ! After, I began a long night of visual observations of asteroids ( 23 trails prepared for the
night) which permitted the vision of 3 old MAP objects and 7 new objects (for me)
The lack of time or the lack of reference
stars prevented the observations of the MAP asteroids 840, 1817, 3198, 8059, 49548, but I found a new MAP object and removed
another old MAP asteroid.
Minor planets observed during the night of March 29-30 :
--------------------------------------------------------
2911
Miahelena v14.9 F/0.2
1379 Lomonosowa v14.9-15.0
F/0.0-F/0.2 old MAP object
1724 Vladimir v15.0-15.1 F/0.1-F/0.2
7267 1943
DF v15.1-15.2 F/0.3-F/0.4 new confirmed MAP object
1947 Iso-Heikillä
v15.4
1479 Inkeri v15.5
2199 Klet
v15.5-15.5 B/0.2-B/0.2
1794 Finsen v15.6
3401 Vanphilos
v15.7? F/? Mars-crosser old MAP object
3017
Petrovic v15.8-15.8 F/0.6-F/0.6 NEW MAP OBJECT
With my new measures, the averaged difference of magnitude for 1379
Lomonosowa falls under the half-amplitude
of magnitude estimated >0.26 mag.
This object then is removed from the active list of MAP objects.
I confirmed the new MAP object 7267 1943 DF seen with a discrepancy of magnitude at mid-March.
I found a new MAP object with a faintness of 0.6 magnitude :
3017 Petrovic
Have you observed it before ?
After the observations, I verified the difference of H magnitude for
this
planet between the MPC and the IRAS data; It was for this case exactly equal to 0.6 magnitude !
3401 Vanphilos, moving between two observations, was seen but alas each time too close to a star. I had no possibility
to measure its brightness. No new starry night predicted by the meteo for this week, but I hope to do again a night for the
other missed objects, before the full Moon
Cheers
Gerard>
Another new MAP object seen by Gerard, 3017 Petrovic, excellent.
Observing here this weekend was cut by high winds and cold temps, far too poor for any telescope. But I did see the ISS/ATV-1
passages as did Gerard, a good -2.4 mag for the ISS.
This weekends clear skies held a little solar viewing of sorts, indoors.
Many of you might have seen or own a Suncatcher that casts solar spectrums in your homes. Seen one you've seen them all, maybe
not. I've added this to the MAP homepage at the link below, its shape
distorted by our ceiling light. Its about 5
feet long, can't help but think it a little wild. In fact I've added even more images from the catcher to my "collection"
as this alert was composed.
**********************************************************
MAP Alert #378, March 19, 2008
Greetings MAP Observers!
Messages from Gerard Faure and Richard Bookamer this "Vanguard 1 Day" (almost) MAP alert.
Gerard writes:
Again, I was busy for the end of this week ending this evening, but I
reached to observe a few during the local "best"
night of this lunation, on the morning of Friday 14,2008.
Before the report of these last observations, I wish to thank you for your answers to your own actual total of observed
asteroids but also for the various data on the type of absolute magnitudes used for the asteroids in the past.
For the actual total of different asteroids observed visually, the
following list will give the situation for each
of the visual observers who
observed more than 1000 asteroids or nearly 1000 asteroids :
Johann Palisa < 1000 asteroids last observations in 1924
Ray Fabre
< 1000 asteroids last observations in 1986
Richard Bookamer 986 asteroids
(on March 03,2008)
Tom Laskowsky 1000 asteroids (and more ?)
Lawrence Garrett
1233 asteroids (on February 29,2008)
Paul Comba 1288 asteroids
last visual observations in 1996
Frederick Pilcher 1816 asteroids last visual observations in 2003
Andrew
Salthouse 1875 asteroids (on March 12,2008)
Gerard Faure 2040
asteroids (on March 14,2008)
Ben Hudgens 2233 asteroids
(on March 08,2008)
Roger Harvey 4653 asteroids (on March 11,2008
Many years were necessary to reach these amazing results for each observer, but nevertheless, we shall never observe
more than a few percents of the asteroids of the Solar System...
The MPC reached the 400000 asteroid orbits in February
2008, but the vast majority of asteroids are too fainter for visual observations.
It will be more interesting for us ;-) to remember the total of asteroids
visually observable.
In 2003, I made
some statistics on the total of asteroids by maximum visual magnitude for the 73000 first numbered asteroids up to 2050, thank's
to the files of the brightest visual magnitudes from Brian Warner :
Total up to
mag 14.9 : 2861
mag 15.9 : 9395
mag 16.9 : 20352
All the asteroids included in these totals will be not easily seen, because many of them rarely reach their maximum magnitude,
but it will be at least partially compensated by the NEA or some bright asteroids with a number > 73000.
About 10000 asteroids reach v15.9 and about 3000 v14.9; You may calculate your own percentage of observed asteroids.
Thank you Frederick and Lawrence for your remarks and data on the absolute magnitudes of asteroids !
The history of the Absolute magnitudes seems to be the following :
Before 1970, the terms "M" or "Mo" were used to represent the absolute magnitudes of the minor planets, but perhaps in
"v" at first, than as a photographic absolute magnitude after ?
In 1970, the IAU adopted the B band of the UBV system for the official
magnitude, with the letter "g" for the absolute
magnitude, up to 1977 in the Russian EMP.
After, the formula "g = B(1.0)" represented the absolute magnitude, yet in the
B band, up to the EMP 1987, but "B(1.0)" was more used than "g".
In 1988, the EMP used for the first time "H"
for the absolute magnitude in the V Band. "H" is used today.
Lastly, I finally reached to observe some hours before the full moon.
Here, after many starry nights in the first
part of February, we only had starry skies during the parts of two nights during the actual lunation. I used the second night
to observe 5 asteroids.
From 00H UT to 03H50 UT, on March 14, and despite some sparse clouds, I saw :
2606 Odessa v14.2-14.5 F/0.5-F/0.8 Old MAP object
1365 Henyey
v14.5-14.3 F/0.5-F/0.3 " " "
7267 1943 DF v14.6-14.5
F/0.4-F/0.3 New MAP object and Mars-crosser
11398 1998 YP11 v14.8
Amor 2
7663 1994 RX1 v15.8-15.8 F/0.7-F/0.7 Old MAP object
Averaged incertainty ~ +/-0.1 mag
(2606) Odessa is known to be highly variable (0.80 mag). It was clearly
more fainter during my second observation
and fainter than 1365 which was fainter than 2606 during my first observation of it during the night. I think that 2606 went
to its minima and 1365 for its unknown maxima of light, between the first and the second observations.
The MAP averaged
difference of 2606 is 0.6 mag fainter for 0.4 mag of
half-amplitude of light
(1365) Henyey already was observed during four oppositions, but only by two observers. Its averaged difference of magnitude
is F/0.4
Please, it will be VERY INTERESTING to obtain new measures by at least one of you during the next month
to permit the publication of the results BY THREE OBSERVERS in a next article on the MPB, of course with the names of the
observers ! Its official V magnitude will be about V14.5 during the next lunation. Thank you !
(7267) 1943 DF seems to be fainter than predicted; Have you observed it or do you observe it during the next lunation
?
(7663)1994 RX1 was visible during my night, but not (3083) OAFA predicted at mag V16.0; 1994 RX1, already observed
by the MAP in 2001 apparently was observed in the past, before the MAP, because a fainter V magnitude was predicted by Frederick
for 2008; With these old observations and knowledge of the fainter magnitudes, it would be possible to obtain at least three
observed oppositions with the 2001 and 2008 observations. Please Frederick, do you send to me your old data ?
I think that certainly it will be possible to extend the MAP data :
1) by searching the "good" measures among the
measures of lightcurves made out of the MAP for the objects treated by the MAP
2) by doing some searches in the visual
observations preceding the MAP
3) by comparing the USNO and GSC magnitudes in the areas where many rejected GSC measures
of the MAP have been made; If there are similar USNO and GSC magnitudes in these areas, the measures should be usuable in
the MAP calculations of the averaged differences of asteroid magnitudes. Is there a volunteer to do these analyses notably
during the covered nights?
Lastly, I saw the perfect lightcurves by Frederick in the new MPB 2008-2 !
Congratulations for these works !
On the MPML List, I congratulated The latest iteration of the Asteroid Lightcurve Data base (LCDB) by Warner, Harris,
and Pravec at :
It is a big compiling of data !
You can see in this LCDB the inclusion of our last MPB article of 2007 as reference
and the report of the H magnitude estimates of the MAP for most of the 13 asteroids treated by the MAP in the MPB !
Our
work is then included in the official data on asteroids !!! A GREAT NEW !
Good luck for your own observations but also for some MAP observations
during the next lunation !! ;-)
Best
wishes <end report Gerard>
Gerard follows with yet another message with his IRAS comments, yet to be read
completely
Thank you Prof. Pilcher for your visual observation comments to round out
our list, and we will welcome Richard
Bookamer 1000th asteroid soon!!
Another note of thanks for the Kuiper-Gehrels comments here
"As I recall both Gerard
Peter Kuiper and Tom Gehrels worked at Yerkes Observatory, associated with University of Chicago, in the 1950's. Later
both moved to Tucson where Kuiper founded the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona."
Richard Bookamer reports>
Hi Lawrence,
Glad to hear that you are staying with the MAP. I know that it is a lot of work for
you, and if there is any way I can help to ease the load, I'm willing to try. (Thanks for the kind words) I also
know how discouraging an observation program can be at times. It
falls upon us amateurs, who usually must earn our
living elsewhere, to fight bad weather, light pollution, moonlight (and in Florida at least, mosquitoes!!!) in the hope of
adding another rock to our collections, or another drop to the ocean of knowledge. At least I don't usually have to
deal with very cold weather or travel long distances in order to observe.And I hope those Vermont skies clear up soon!
Here
is my recent observation of a MAP object, along with two NEOs. All are type GMv since I'm not up to speed on AMv yet
but I'm working on it. As of Mar. 15 I have seen a total of 989 different asteroids and I'm looking forward to reaching
1000 in May, or possibly April.
2606 Odessa Mar. 9.08959 v14.4 F/0.7 MAP object
1685 Toro
Jan. 26.00973 v13.6 F/0.0 NEO
4450 Pan Feb. 10.34868
v13.1 F/0.1 PHA
--Richard Bookamer---end report
Not to waste a night this week, I took time on "Vanguard 1 Day", March 17, to try to spot this with my 12.5" telescope.
The bright moonlight left only 11th magnitude stars visible in my target field, so I packed up for another darker night.
FYI, this is an estimated Mv 13.5 object, and being on St.Patricks day is an easy day to remember to try again. What a good
object for faint asteroid observers.
Not to forget this new MAP object of Gerards!
7267 1943 DF v14.6-14.5 F/0.4-F/0.3 New
MAP object and Mars-crosser call for observations .
**********************************************************
MAP Alert #377, March 14, 2008
Greetings MAP Observers!
A short Roger Harvey report with this Fridays MAP Alert.
March 13: 7663 1994RX1 F/0.8 @ 15.8 4:25UT to 5:25UT verifying Pilcher's data.
13166 1995 WU1 3 obs F/0.6 @ 16.0 3:48UT to 5:14UT
49548 1999CP83 3 obs F/0.3 @ 15.8 4:13UT to 5:30UT
Roger Harvey report success in confirming Prof. Pilcher data with 7663 1994RX1, very good both Roger and Prof. Pilcher!
Gerard Faure noted the very large Minor planet Bulletin with a huge amount of lightcurves, including two reports from
Prof.Pilcher. This is quite an issue for sure. Brian Warner is as always quite active.
I have attached an image of a 1952 EMP from Russia with the names
Kuiper-Gehrels on the cover, I thinks its Kupier.
Would he have been working with Tom Gehrels in 1952, or at the same place, of is this another astronomer? Any guesses? Wikipedia
does not seem to say so.
Clear Skies
Lawrence Garrett
ALPO Minor Planet Section Coordinator
lsgasteroid@msn.comWhen they give you lemons, toss them right back :-)
**********************************************************
MAP Alert #376, March 11, 2008
Greetings MAP Observers!
Brief reports from Gerard Faure and Roger Harvey highlight this March MAP alert.
This report from Roger comes from a Gerard message, perhaps my usual copy is lost in space.
At 11:21 10/03/2008 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi Gerard,
>Last night was clear with the
air moving smoothly
>yielding good images of Saturn at full aperture (I usually stop down my scope for planetary/moon
work).
> March 10 Deliyannis 8059 3 obs @ 15.3 B/0.5 (a NEW MAP OBJECT)
Wow, a brighter then predicted object for a Change. While its due to brighten only 0.2 mv, every little bit helps.
Roger speaks of a few other objects not seen, such as 2008 EZ7, and 7663 1994 RX1.
He did observe 2008 EZ8, another
small close approach object.
Gerard speaks of his reaching his 2038th asteroid visually, and requests life totals from our readers. I used to keep
this up in a file, but this has lapsed on my part, so please CC me as well for postings at our webpages. My creeping up totals
have reached 1233 with 153591 2001 SN263 in February 29.
Gerard has also updated my on a question of his observing charts for magnitudes at his telescope. These were maps from
Sky and telescope from 1984, I have used these as well. These were used in conjunction with Atlas Stellarum selected areas.
Gerard requests the following:
<The first asteroid discovered photographically was (323) Brucia in 1891 The photoelectric measures were made and
used in the seventies, but when the EMP began to use B absolute magnitudes ?
What it used before ?
What was the type
of magnitude in the "Tables of Minor Planets 1973" from
Frederick Pilcher and Jean Meeus ?>
I have the EMP volumes that will cover some of this data for Gerard, and have the book by Charles Kowal should this also
be of use. I'll get the info toGerard soon. Readers can of course answer as well.
Anything left out? Despite falling down in the dark last week (no biggie)I spotted the Comet Holmes/California
Nebula conjunction. What a low contrast pair, quite the change from Holmes world class showing. Still I am VERY glad
to have taken the time to see Holmes in its current state of background glow faintness.
Clear Skies
Lawrence Garrett
ALPO Minor Planet Section Coordinator
lsgasteroid@msn.comWhen they give you lemons, toss them right back :-)
