Cowboys and Asteroids.

Yeee-hah!! Cowboys and Indians?  Nope.  This week’s thoughts are on cowboys chasing NEOs.
That’s right, ‘Near Earth Objects’ or NEO.  Looking into deep space is not the only thing you do with a telescope but another ‘rush’ amateur astronomers do is identifying objects that ‘pass near’ to Earth’s orbit.  Namely, asteroids, comets and minor planets. Scientist deduced that they are remnants from the time our planets were formed.

How to find them?  Fortunately, some people have done their ‘homework’ and plotted out the paths of these objects as they make their way around in space.

1.  Look-up the time-schedule of all these objects from a good prediction software online.   A good one is the IASC (International Astronomical Search Collaboration) website.  This is the Asteroid Observer’s Planner.

2.  Choose which asteroid, or any other published object you want to track from the Planner.  Time, magnitude, position in the sky.

3.   If you have a good filter for your lens, It’ll help make the object ‘stand-out’ in you view.

4.   Normally asteroids and comets appear as a ‘thin line’; unlike stars which appear as a ‘dot’.

5.   Take a few photographs within few hours apart to search for any object that has moved within your FOV (Field of vision)

6.   Make a sketch map of the search area. Note down all observations, put an entry into your journal for future records.

7.   Do not choose an object at your zenith (above your head).  Avoid angles from 80˚ - 90˚ of Declination.  Refer to RA (Right Ascension) and Declination from the planner.

Give it a try?  Why not!  Clear skies please.

Next up, Tracking orbiting satellites, space junk and ISS (International Space Station).  You’ll be notified when this happens.