Calling Humungus: NASA: 100-foot asteroid to fly by Earth

patch29 · March 18, 2004

You may get a chance to see it. It does not look like we will in the US.

The asteroid, 2004 FH, was expected to make its closest approach at 5:08 p.m. EST, streaking over the southern Atlantic Ocean. It should be visible through binoculars to stargazers across the southern hemisphere, as well as throughout Asia and Europe, said astronomer Steve Chesley, also of JPL.

Source

Shay Stephens · March 18, 2004

patch29 wrote:

You may get a chance to see it. It does not look like we will in the US. Source

It should just be within the capabilities of most digital cameras to capture. The brightness estimates put it at 10 to 12 magnitude. So if you know where to point the camera, a long exposure might give you a small dim streak of light.

gus · March 20, 2004

Sorry mate...didnt see the thread.

You would have to be good to see it at 5pm..still full daylight here at that time (particularly as shay said +10.... +12, thats very very very dim, its out there with pluto almost). As the paste says +9 is the limit for 10x50 binoculars.

I am an avid watcher of Hubble & ISS. Put in your local info here to have a look.

http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp

Examples of magnitude values for well-known objects are;

Sun-26.7 (about 400 000 times brighter than full Moon!)
Full Moon-12.7
Brightest Iridium flares-8
Venus (at brightest)-4.4
International Space Station-2
Sirius (brightest star)-1.44
Limit of human eye+6 to +7
Limit of 10x50 binoculars+9
Pluto+14
Limit of Hubble Space Telescope+30

I like to watch.

Calling Humungus: NASA: 100-foot asteroid to fly by Earth

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