Bright Asteroid Flyby

Spotting it won't be easy. You'll need a dark location, a telescope, and a keen eye. 9th magnitude stars are very dim. In an urban environment 4th magnitude stars are the dimmest you can see without a telescope or binoculars. Out in the dark countryside, you can see 6th magnitude stars. But without a telescope, seeing an object of the 9th magnitude is out of the question.

I know that some people have telescopes and cameras. A couple of years ago I told about an event like this and a few got great shots so I come in with the new when I get it :)

For one of my articles, I did a little research about the threat of asteroid and comet strikes:

http://robertkernodle.hubpages.com/hub/Which-Threat-Is-Real-Anthropogenic-Global-Warming-Or-Asteroid-Strikes

I wonder: If we knew a big one would hit, then would we still get out our cameras and have big photo parties up until the last second before collision?

Cool! Thanks!

Cool thankyou Abbie, you are a Star!!!!

Cool ! You must be an amateur astronomer, Abbie. You always come in with these types of posts.

To be an astronomer was my original path in life. Then I realized there were no jobs and no money in the field. LOL. But I still have an interest and even tho I sold my telescope, I smile every time I look up in this winter sky and see Orion and know that in it is that beautiful nebula that right now is birthing new stars. Still fascinated by it. Unfortunately, a 9th magnitude I will not have a chance to see.

Couldn't resist the photo op - for you Dan, just don't consider this version as one of my finalized ones as there's as there's a remnant processing artifact that only became visible when I got my good monitor

I dabble, Dan, but only just started in the past few years. It fascinates me and had quite a strange effect on me which I'm sure is not interesting to anyone else lol. Suffice to say it's a fascinating subject. Randy, very cool

Thanks, Randy. A stellar womb of birth.

Yep, Abbie. It does change you. M42 is birthing stars larger than our sun right now, is over 9,000 trillion miles away and time is measured there in millions of years. Sort of makes one feel just a wee bit insignificant. LOL.

Anyway, keep posting astronomical events like you have been. I'm sure they are appreciated by many.