------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1284 1998 Mar 28 16.02UT Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise, Basingstoke, Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074 INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK WORLD WIDE WEB http://www.demon.co.uk/astronomer ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1998 FX2 M.Blythe et al, Lincoln Observatory, New Mexico report their discovery on 1998 Mar 22 of an unusually bright asteroid of approx mag 14: Observations: C1998 03 22.14694 11 26 54.00 +01 51 08.0 704 C1998 03 22.16716 11 27 01.49 +01 52 37.1 704 C1998 03 23.77760 11 37 59.98 +03 54 56.5 13.9 V 046 046 Klet. Observers M. Tichy, Z. Moravec. Measurer M. Tichy. 0.57-m f/5.2 reflector + CCD. 704 Lincoln Laboratory ETS, New Mexico. Observers M. Blythe, F. Shelly, M. Bezpalko. Measurers J. Stuart, H. Viggh. 1.0-m f/2.15 reflector + CCD. Orbital elements by Brian Marsden: Epoch 1997 Dec. 18.0 TT = JDT 2450800.5 Marsden M 325.19623 (2000.0) P Q n 0.31320467 Peri. 16.95418 -0.94991623 +0.31248081 a 2.1474212 Node 181.27409 -0.30306194 -0.92415537 e 0.4939347 Incl. 9.99299 -0.07624046 -0.21975577 P 3.15 H 18.5 G 0.15 U 7 >From 116 observations 1998 Mar. 22-26, mean residual 0".51. The asteroid will remain well placed for some time and could be within reach of larger amateur telescopes visually. Certainly CCD observers are encouraged to image it and obtain astrometry. Ephemeris: 1998 FX2 a,e,i = 2.15, 0.49, 10 q = 1.0867 Date TT R. A. (2000) Decl. Delta r Elong. Phase V 1998 03 28 12 10.66 +09 46.6 0.099 1.094 166.8 12.0 14.4 1998 03 29 12 19.19 +11 13.0 0.098 1.093 165.3 13.4 14.4 1998 03 30 12 27.98 +12 39.6 0.097 1.092 163.7 14.9 14.5 1998 03 31 12 37.00 +14 05.5 0.096 1.091 161.9 16.5 14.5 1998 04 01 12 46.23 +15 30.1 0.096 1.090 160.1 18.2 14.5 1998 04 02 12 55.61 +16 52.8 0.096 1.089 158.2 20.0 14.6 1998 04 03 13 05.12 +18 12.8 0.096 1.088 156.3 21.7 14.6 1998 04 04 13 14.70 +19 29.6 0.096 1.088 154.3 23.5 14.7 1998 04 05 13 24.31 +20 42.7 0.097 1.087 152.4 25.2 14.8 1998 04 06 13 33.90 +21 51.6 0.098 1.087 150.6 26.9 14.8 1998 04 07 13 43.42 +22 56.0 0.099 1.087 148.8 28.5 14.9 1998 04 08 13 52.84 +23 55.8 0.100 1.087 147.0 30.1 15.0 1998 04 09 14 02.11 +24 50.7 0.102 1.087 145.3 31.6 15.1 1998 04 10 14 11.19 +25 40.7 0.104 1.087 143.7 33.0 15.1 1998 04 11 14 20.04 +26 26.0 0.105 1.087 142.2 34.4 15.2 1998 04 12 14 28.64 +27 06.5 0.107 1.088 140.8 35.6 15.3 1998 04 13 14 36.96 +27 42.6 0.110 1.088 139.4 36.8 15.4 1998 04 14 14 44.98 +28 14.3 0.112 1.089 138.2 37.9 15.5 1998 04 15 14 52.70 +28 41.9 0.114 1.090 137.0 38.9 15.5 M.P.E.C. 1998-F15 and 1998-F30 (extract) Guy M Hurst