Amateur Astronomer Discovers More Near-Earth Asteroids With Remote Telescopes
Three amazing recent asteroid finds show what’s possible in terms of astronomy online.
Practical astronomy is increasingly becoming an online affair. In 2023, we wrote about this trend, and highlighted how Russian observer and amateur astronomer Filipp Romanov used time on a remote observatory to successfully discover two asteroids, which he named 623826 Alekseyvarkin and 623827 Nikandrilyich after his great-grandfathers. Now, Filipp has repeated this feat and pushed the limit of what’s possible online with the discovery of a trio of asteroids, including a rare near-Earth asteroid discovery found using a remote system.
Universe Today caught up with Filipp to explain how he did it:
“I have been searching for asteroids in images from remote telescopes from time to time for almost two years, and I have discovered four asteroids that have received their names, but on August 26th, 2024, I made a great find—I found a near-Earth asteroid in the images obtained using the 0.51-meter f/6.8 remote telescope T59 located at the Siding Spring Observatory of the iTelescope network, which is visible in all eight (300 second exposure) photos of one of the fields of the sky.”
A Surreptitious Find
Timing and planning is crucial in the hunt for asteroids, as Filipp elaborates: “I reserved in advance the necessary time on this telescope (when the waning gibbous Moon did not illuminate the sky above this observatory, and when the Moon was still below the horizon) for imaging, calculated the celestial coordinates, and requested specifically for the searching of main-belt asteroids and photography of two areas of the sky near the near the ecliptic and in the opposition region.”
The region is crucial, as asteroids coming into opposition ‘opposite’ to the Sun as seen from Earth are also at their brightest. Also, the area in the constellation Pisces where asteroids are reaching this point in late August into September is also relatively vacant, and far from the densely packed plane of the Milky Way Galaxy. In the era of visual astronomy in the mid-19th century, more asteroids were discovered in September than any other month.
It was in the same constellation than Filipp made a surprise discovery.
“I found an asteroid with a fast movement. In the images, this astronomical object looked like lines, unlike star-shaped (point source) main-belt asteroids, and I thought that it might be a near-Earth asteroid.” This fast motion leaving trails in the images is a clue that the object is also closer to the Earth.
![asteroids](https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Asteroids-1024x510.jpg)
Still, Filipp had to be sure that the asteroid wasn’t a known space rock. “I checked that there were no matches with known astronomical objects from the Minor Planet Center (MPC) database and sent the data of my astronomic measurements to the NEO Confirmation Page (NEOCP) so that they appear there for the attention of astronomers around the world.”
Pinning Down an Asteroid Find
This stage is crucial, in order to confirm the discovery and refine the position and orbit of the asteroid… and the more observations the better. Bad weather over key sites or losing the asteroid in the Sun’s glare can mean a discovery can go missing for months, or even years. “I immediately wrote to a number of astronomers with a request to confirm this astronomical object, but some of the astronomers did not have clear weather for observations (or were) not online at the time. Only one amateur astronomer immediately responded.” Filipp then made a quick decision to use precious observing time to make a follow up observation, using an iTelescope in Chile. “As a result, we both managed to confirm this asteroid and each of us sent results of our astrometric measurements to the MPC.”
Automatic sky surveys have since picked up asteroid 2024 QS, including the Mount Lemmon Survey on September 3rd, and the ATLAS-HKO and -MLO surveys in Hawaii on September 5th.
![Asteroid](https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Image-of-2024-09-01-stacked-20x60-sec.jpg)
The discovery became known as 2024 QS, a 43-meter asteroid on a 1.1 year orbit around the Sun, passing 12.1 LD (lunar distances, or slightly less than 4.7 million kilometers) from the Earth yesterday on September 9th at 00:39 Universal Time (UT). This pass ejected the asteroid from the near-Earth vicinity. About 35,000 Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are known of though certainly, amateur astronomers finding one is rare.
…And Something More
Two more recent discoveries were also made by Filipp:
The first was asteroid 2023 PS3, found on August 9th, 2023 using the the 2-meter Liverpool Telescope. This small (150-170 meter in diameter) asteroid is on a 2.56 year orbit. 2023 PS3 is a member of the Hungaria Group. Astronomers only know of about 30,000 Hungaria Group asteroids. This asteroid was later named 679996 Mariyafilippovna, after Filipp’s great-grandmother.
![Asteroids](https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Great-grandmothers-1024x917.jpg)
Mariya Filippovna Romanova (1919-1979) lived in Chugueka and worked as a secretary-typist and as a clerk. She was awarded the Veteran of Honor medal.
Next was asteroid 2023 SJ76, found on September 16th, 2023 using the T11 iTelescope located at the Utah Desert Remote Observatory located at Great Basin desert in Beryl Junction, Utah.
This main-belt asteroid is several hundred meters across, and has an orbital period of 3.57 years. It later received the name of 679999 Mariyavarkina after Filipp’s great-grandmother Mariya Maksimovna Varkina, who tragically died while pregnant in a bus accident in Primorsky Krai, Russia in 1962. She was Mordvin (Mordovian), and from Sabanovo (near Penza, Russia).
![Filipp Romanov](https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Filipp-Romanov-during-Spring-Astronomy-Day-in-2024-1024x768.jpg)
Congrats to Filipp on these amazing finds, and showing us all what’s possible, with a little dedication and persistence.
The post Amateur Astronomer Discovers More Near-Earth Asteroids With Remote Telescopes appeared first on Universe Today.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/168319/amateur-astronomer-discovers-more-near-earth-asteroids-with-remote-telescopes/
Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.
"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.
Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex
HerbAnomic’s Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex is a revolutionary new Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex designed to support your body at the cellular level. Our product has been thoroughly tested by an ISO/IEC Certified Lab for toxins and Heavy metals as well as for trace mineral content. We KNOW we have NO lead, arsenic, mercury, aluminum etc. in our Formula.
This Humic & Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral complex has high trace levels of naturally occurring Humic and Fulvic Acids as well as high trace levels of Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Molybdenum, Potassium and more. There is a wide range of up to 70 trace minerals which occur naturally in our Complex at varying levels. We Choose to list the 8 substances which occur in higher trace levels on our supplement panel. We don’t claim a high number of minerals as other Humic and Fulvic Supplements do and leave you to guess which elements you’ll be getting.
Order Your Humic Fulvic for Your Family by Clicking on this Link, or the Banner Below.
Our Formula is an exceptional value compared to other Humic Fulvic Minerals because...
It’s OXYGENATED
It Always Tests at 9.5+ pH
Preservative and Chemical Free
Allergen Free
Comes From a Pure, Unpolluted, Organic Source
Is an Excellent Source for Trace Minerals
Is From Whole, Prehisoric Plant Based Origin Material With Ionic Minerals and Constituents
Highly Conductive/Full of Extra Electrons
Is a Full Spectrum Complex
Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex has Minerals, Amino Acids, Poly Electrolytes, Phytochemicals, Polyphenols, Bioflavonoids and Trace Vitamins included with the Humic and Fulvic Acid. Our Source material is high in these constituents, where other manufacturers use inferior materials.
Try Our Humic and Fulvic Liquid Trace Mineral Complex today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.
![Report abuse](/img/report_abuse.png)