Observation by Alex Pratt: Video astrometry of (3200) Phaethon

Uploaded by

Alex Pratt

Observer

Alex Pratt

Observed

2017 Dec 11 - 21:31

Uploaded

2017 Dec 12 - 00:09

Objects

3200 Phaethon

Equipment

C11 f/10 with f/3.3 focal reducer
Watec 910 video camera
IOTA-VTI GPS time inserter
OccuRec and Tangra

Exposure

0.32s exposures

Location

Z92

Target name

(3200) Phaethon

Title

Video astrometry of (3200) Phaethon

About this image

The solar system object (3200) Pheathon, identified as the parent body of the Geminid meteor stream, is making a close pass of planet Earth. Classified as an Apollo-type asteroid, it is said to be a 'rock comet', blurring the old definitions of asteroids and comets. Closest approach will be on December 16.

A number of 1-minute videos were recorded this evening using OccuRec. The attached image shows analysis of 201 measures from one of the videos using Tangra, giving an estimate of its RA, Dec and R magnitude at the mid-point of the recording. The sky motion of (3200) Phaethon was measured to be 0.23"/sec in RA and 0.02"/sec in Dec, matching the MPC Ephemeris value of 13.73"/min (0.23"/sec).

Files associated with this observation

3200_20171211_2131_ARP.png (410.6 kB)

Like this image

Peter Carson, Nick James, David Basey, Graham Winstanley, Mr Leonard Entwisle, Peter Mulligan, Ray Emery, Jeremy Shears, Dawson

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