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Appulses between asteroids
We have processed the data from the Minor Planet Centre looking for close approaches between any of the first 2000 objects for the coming year. The following table lists approaches closer than 0.05 degrees for which both objects are brighter than magnitude 15. Some entries have links to charts: they are appulses which have a good elongation from the Sun and a high enough declination to be observable from the UK. (Except for Amphitrite/Dynamene on 2012 Mar 28: that does not have a good elongation but is included for the added interest of proximity to M45.)
Photographers may be pleased to get 2 trails for the price of one. There could be scientific value in comparing the magnitudes and colours of the pair of objects as they move (and tumble) along. Being so close, the light from both will suffer almost identical atmospheric and optical effects and so should be comparable.
NB: Separations are given for 0h on each date. The objects may pass closer. Further investigation is planned.
| Date | JD | Sepn (°) | Name | RA (J2000.0) | Dec (J2000.0) | Mag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Mar 28.0 | 2456014.5 | 0.0051 | 29 Amphitrite | 03h59m15.11s | +25d49m08.6s | 10.9 |
| 200 Dynamene | 03h59m14.01s | +25d49m19.6s | 13.4 | |||
| 2012 Apr 07.0 | 2456024.5 | 0.0313 | 84 Klio | 07h17m54.75s | +25d31m38.7s | 14.6 |
| 175 Andromache | 07h17m46.88s | +25d32m16.4s | 14.7 | |||
| 2012 Apr 11.0 | 2456028.5 | 0.0347 | 349 Dembowska | 01h04m35.62s | +04d54m29.3s | 11.0 |
| 670 Ottegebe | 01h04m37.24s | +04d56m32.1s | 14.4 | |||
| 2012 Apr 21.0 | 2456038.5 | 0.0199 | 276 Adelheid | 02h04m00.51s | +11d52m12.9s | 14.1 |
| 392 Wilhelmina | 02h03m56.62s | +11d51m29.4s | 14.5 | |||
| 2012 Apr 22.0 | 2456039.5 | 0.0231 | 14 Irene | 04h31m43.51s | +21d29m44.6s | 11.7 |
| 146 Lucina | 04h31m47.62s | +21d28m44.0s | 14.0 | |||
| 2012 May 10.0 | 2456057.5 | 0.0139 | 654 Zelinda | 05h07m36.58s | +24d07m04.9s | 12.8 |
| 971 Alsatia | 05h07m35.17s | +24d07m51.4s | 14.9 | |||
| 2012 May 31.0 | 2456078.5 | 0.0367 | 261 Prymno | 07h41m35.30s | +23d02m59.1s | 14.2 |
| 203 Pompeja | 07h41m44.87s | +23d02m55.6s | 14.4 | |||
| 2012 Jun 06.0 | 2456084.5 | 0.0212 | 41 Daphne | 08h41m27.69s | +11d39m59.1s | 12.3 |
| 233 Asterope | 08h41m22.87s | +11d39m29.9s | 14.1 | |||
| 2012 Jun 15.0 | 2456093.5 | 0.0300 | 108 Hecuba | 06h28m24.15s | +26d19m27.5s | 14.1 |
| 971 Alsatia | 06h28m16.12s | +26d19m22.8s | 14.8 | |||
| 2012 Jun 17.0 | 2456095.5 | 0.0337 | 20 Massalia | 19h22m21.18s | -21d01m43.2s | 10.5 |
| 1461 Jean-Jacques | 19h22m14.16s | -21d02m54.6s | 14.9 | |||
| 2012 Jun 19.0 | 2456097.5 | 0.0469 | 1817 Katanga | 16h35m31.42s | -12d23m30.7s | 13.1 |
| 565 Marbachia | 16h35m20.67s | -12d24m32.4s | 14.3 | |||
| 2012 Jul 09.0 | 2456117.5 | 0.0469 | 93 Minerva | 12h07m16.56s | -04d11m30.5s | 13.0 |
| 49 Pales | 12h07m16.80s | -04d08m41.5s | 14.4 | |||
| 2012 Aug 24.0 | 2456163.5 | 0.0438 | 275 Sapientia | 10h53m46.41s | +08d56m21.3s | 13.7 |
| 109 Felicitas | 10h53m48.84s | +08d58m55.2s | 14.1 | |||
| 2012 Aug 29.0 | 2456168.5 | 0.0381 | 142 Polana | 00h46m56.90s | +08d25m35.4s | 14.4 |
| 1007 Pawlowia | 00h47m03.59s | +08d27m10.4s | 14.9 |
