Spotting 1997 NC1 flyby on Fri/Sat

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  • Thread starter Thread starter DaveC426913
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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on locating asteroid 1997 NC1 (152637) during its upcoming flyby on June 27, 2026. The user struggles with identifying the precise field of view needed for starhopping near Nu Serpentis (magnitude 4.4) and emphasizes the necessity of high-resolution star charts to track the asteroid's movement. Key resources referenced include EarthSky's article on the flyby, the Van Buitenen NEO database, NEODyS orbital data, and Heavens-Above asteroid listings. The approach involves capturing sequential images 5-20 minutes apart to detect the asteroid's motion against background stars.

PREREQUISITES

  • Astrometry and starhopping techniques
  • Use of online NEO databases: Van Buitenen NEO, NEODyS, Heavens-Above
  • Understanding of celestial coordinates and field of view calculations
  • Basic astrophotography skills for time-lapse imaging

NEXT STEPS

  • Obtain high-resolution star charts centered on Nu Serpentis for precise starhopping
  • Practice sequential imaging with intervals of 5-20 minutes to detect asteroid motion
  • Monitor brightness updates on Heavens-Above for improved visibility predictions
  • Use NEODyS orbital data to refine expected position and timing of 1997 NC1 flyby

USEFUL FOR

Amateur astronomers, astrophotographers, and NEO observers aiming to visually track and image near-Earth asteroids during close approaches.

DaveC426913
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TL;DR
I am disappointed that Stellarium does not seem to recognize it, even though the article pulled screengrabs from Stellarium.
This article.
https://earthsky.org/space/large-asteroid-visible-telescopes-pass-earth-june-27-2026/

Anyway, I'm having a really tough time locating exactly where to look for 1997 NC1 (152637) this weekend.

So I made my own from his screenshots.
1782346980679.webp

It's still not good enough. I need higher rez in order to "starhop". :mad:

I don't know what field of view I'll need to get it if I centre on, say, Nu Serpentis (Mag 4.4). And I won't know until I've taken some sort of picture 5-20 minutes apart and can tell if one of the little dots is moving.
 
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