Observation by Grant Privett: Apophis

Uploaded by

Grant Privett

Observer

Grant Privett

Observed

2021 Mar 06 - 22:24

Uploaded

2021 Mar 08 - 15:17

Objects

99942 Apophis

Equipment
  • Starlight Xpress Lodestar
  • SkyWatcher 114mm Newtonian
  • NEQ6 +Rowan upgrade
Exposure

30s x 34

Location

Salisbury

Target name

Apophis

Title

Apophis

About this image

The near earth asteroid Apophis glimpsed a couple of nights ago with a cheap n' cheerful telescope I usually use as my guidescope. At the time it was in Hydra not far from Alphard and at a magnitude of 16.2 - according to JPL Horizons. Would have had 30 minutes more trail if I had not forgotten the meridian flip and gone inside for a coffee and to warm up.

The Skywatcher is a 114mm telescope and has a dreadful rack and pinion focuser that whangs around all over the place, but I managed to get something. I'm tempted to put a low profile 2" focuser on it but once my main scope is back from aluminising it will go back to being the autoguider so theres not much point. Looking forward to seeing this when it comes inside the GEO belt in a few years time. It will be 3rd mag then!

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