What to observe

Last updated 2013 March 12

Observing

This section will list objects and projects which interested observers may like to incorporate into their observing programs. Activities are listed under various categories.

The CalSKY website provides information on many objects you might want to observe. After registering try clicking on ‘Asteroids’ and then ‘This nights asteroids’.  Selecting ‘Astronomer’ gives a longer list than ‘Hobby’. Choosing an asteroid from the list gives you a mountain of data relating to that object. Asteroids at opposition and Occultations are also listed.

Please send a copy of all observations and images to the ARPS Director at arps@britastro.org


Observing opportunities

Note that the data published in the BAA Handbook for 2013 can also be found in Section 3.

 

Targets

 

Activities

Procedures (1)

Instruments

Data Sources

Send results to (2);

Reporting format

VISUAL OBSERVING

Main belt asteroids

Finding by visual observing

Visual observations of asteroids

Telescope

Section 1.2.2, Targets for visual observation,

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets,

pp 42-47

 

Planetarium software

 

What’s Observable?

ARPS Director at arps@britastro.com

ARPS form

Main belt asteroids

Position estimates (Visual astrometry)

Visual observations of asteroids

Telescope

BAA Handbook for

2013, Minor Planets,

pp 42-47

 

Planetarium software

 

What’s Observable?

ARPS Director at arps@britastro.com

ARPS form

Main belt asteroids

Magnitude estimates (Visual photometry)

Visual observations of asteroids

Telescope

BAA Handbook for 2009, Minor Planets,

pp 44-50

 

Planetarium Software

 

What’s Observable?

ARPS Director at arps@britastro.com 

ARPS form

Main belt asteroids

Occultation timing

Occultations

 

EAON Introduction

 

EAON Circulars

 

 

Binoculars (only a few)

or

Telescope

 

 

 

European Asteroidal Occultation Network (EAON)

 

Steve Preston’s occultation predictions

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets, pp 48-50

 

UK predictions issued bimonthly by ARPS Occultations Director, Tim Haymes

Send results to Tim Haymes (Assistant Director, Occultations, ARPS) at: tvh.observatory@btinternet.com

 

EAON – Giles Regheere at mailto:gillesregheere@yahoo.fr

 

 

EAON form

VIDEO RECORDING AND DRIFT SCAN TIMING OF OCCULTATIONS

Main belt asteroids

Occultation timing

EAON Video Observations

 

Drift scan timing

Telescope plus video camera

 

Telescope Plus CCD camera

European Asteroidal Occultation Network (EAON)

 

Steve Preston’s occultation predictions

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets, pp 48-50

 

UK predictions issued bimonthly by ARPS Occultations Director, Tim Haymes

Send results to Tim Haymes (Assistant Director, Occultations, ARPS) at: tvh.observatory@btinternet.com

PLANOCCULT mailing list at: planoccult@aula.com

 

EAON – Gilles Regheere at: mailto:gillesregheere@yahoo.fr

 

 

EAON form

DIGITAL SLR IMAGING

Main belt asteroids

Imaging

Digital SLR imaging

Digital SLR camera plus drive

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets,

pp 42-47

 

Planetarium software

 

What’s Observable?

See Publication of observations

Add details to images as shown on images in article Digital SLR imaging

CCD IMAGING

Main belt asteroids

Imaging

Al Kelly’s CCD Instruction Guide

 

AAVSO CCD Observing Manual

Telescope plus CCD

MPO Observing Guides

See Publication of observations

Add details to images as shown on images in article Digital SLR imaging

CCD ASTROMETRY

Main belt asteroids

Obtaining an observatory code

Astrometry – Obtaining an observatory code

 

MPC Guide to Minor Body Astrometry

Telescope plus CCD

MPC Guide to Minor Body Astrometry  (Section 15 for targets)

The Minor Planet Center at mailto:obs@cfa.harvard.edu  

MPC Submission information

NEO’s and Main belt asteroids

Discovery follow-up astrometry

An introduction to astrometry

 

Astrometry of NEO’s

 

Astrometry of NEO’s – Follow-up observations

 

Astrometry  – Measuring trails

Telescope plus CCD

Lowell Observatory HOP

 

MPC NEA Observation Planning Aid

 

Spaceguard Priority List

 

Follow-up Astrometric Program (FUAP)

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets, pp 42-47, 51

The Minor Planet Center at mailto:obs@cfa.harvard.edu  

MPC Submission information

NEO’s and Main belt asteroids

Discovery confirmation astrometry

Peter Birtwhisle’s website;

Equipment

Software

Methods

Telescope plus CCD

Minor Planet Center (MPC) NEO Confirmation Page

The Minor Planet Center at mailto:obs@cfa.harvard.edu  

MPC Submission information

NEO’s and Main belt Asteroids

Discovery

Hunting Asteroids from your Backyard.

Dennis Di Cicco, Sky and Telescope

 

A Guide to Asteroid Discovery Using the Sierra Skies Observatory Network by Rich Williams

Telescope plus CCD

Minor Planet Checker (to check for known asteroids)

The Minor Planet Center at mailto:obs@cfa.harvard.edu  

MPC Submission information

CCD PHOTOMETRY

Asteroids and Dwarf Planets

Determining lightcurves by differential photometry

Photometry

 

Asteroid lightcurves – Part I

 

Asteroid lightcurves – Part II

 

Differential photometry using Canopus

 

MPO/CALL – A Guide to Minor Planet Photometry

 

 

Telescope plus CCD

Minor planet Bulletin (Each on-line edition includes a list of ‘Lightcurve opportunities’)

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets,

pp 52-54

 

 

 

See Publication of observations

Publication of observations

Asteroids and Dwarf Planets

Determining lightcurves – a new method. Absolute photometry made easy!

A method for determining the V magnitude of asteroids from CCD images

 

Astrometrica and Guide Hints and Tips

Telescope plus CCD plus

Filters

Minor planet Bulletin (Each on-line edition includes a list of ‘Lightcurve opportunities’)

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets,

pp 52-54

 

See Publication of observations

Publication of observations

Asteroids and Dwarf Planets

Determining lightcurves by all-sky  photometry

MPO/CALL – A Guide to Minor Planet Photometry

 

All-Sky Photometry: An Iterative Procedure by Bill Gary

 

Link to Asteroid Phase Curves: New Opportunities for Amateur Observers (see PP69-78) by Richard Miles

Telescope plus CCD plus

Filters

Minor planet Bulletin (Each on-line edition includes a list of ‘Lightcurve opportunities’)

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets,

pp 52-54

 

See Publication of observations

Publication of observations

All asteroids and Dwarf Planets but mainly applicable to Main Belt Asteroids

Generating phase curves and determining absolute magnitude

A method for determining the V magnitude of asteroids from CCD images

 

Astrometrica and Guide Hints and Tips

Telescope plus CCD plus

Filters

Magnitude Alert Project (MAP)

 

BAA Handbook for 2013, Minor Planets,

pp 42-54, 84-88

 

Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) Minor Planet Section Coordinator Lawrence S. Pilcher or Gerard Faure

MPC Submission information

Notes

(1) Procedures which relate to both astrometry and photometry are; Timing and Star Catalogues.

(2) In addition to sending your results to repositories and anyone or any organization specifically requesting data please copy them to the British Astronomical Association’s Asteroid and Remote Planets Section Director, at arps@britastro.org.
This will enable reports to be produced for the BAA Journal. You may, of course, prepare your own reports or papers for the BAA Journal. You may, of course, prepare your own reports or papers for the BAA Journal.

Asteroid and Dwarf Planet Data for 2013

This data was originally published in The Handbook of The British Astronomical Association – 2013

MINOR PLANETS 

Orbital elements

Observers with binoculars or small telescopes may find this data useful in locating some of the brighter asteroids.

The data below, for asteroids brighter than magnitude 9.0 at opposition, have been extracted from the Minor Planet Center’s Minor Planet and Comet Ephemeris Service at:

http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html

Equinox of the elements   J2000
Epoch of the elements     JD 2455800.5, 2011 Aug. 27.0 TT

No.

Name

a

e

i

Node

Peri

M

 

 

AU

 

°

°

°

°

2

Pallas

2.771

0.231

34.842

173.126

310.063

181.701

3

Juno

2.671

0.255

12.981

169.910

248.187

122.324

4

Vesta

2.361

0.088

7.135

103.904

149.882

56.403

7

Iris

2.386

0.231

5.523

259.651

145.263

111.536

8

Flora

2.201

0.156

5.888

110.935

285.184

70.059

9

Metis

2.386

0.123

5.575

68.949

6.244

248.442

14

Irene

2.590

0.166

9.108

86.206

97.352

221.966

20

Massalia

2.410

0.142

0.708

206.179

256.757

99.553

324

Bamberga

2.686

0.337

11.103

327.980

43.998

182.649

EPHEMERIDES

The geocentric data below, for asteroids attaining magnitude 9.0 or brighter, have been extracted from the Minor Planet Center Ephemeris Service at:

http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html

Equinox                 J2000
Epoch                    JD 2455800.5, 2011 Aug. 27.0 TT

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