How can I view Asteroid TU24?

Please let me preface this thread by saying that I am in no way suggesting nor encouraging discussion on any of the following in regards to asteroid Tu24 :

- Armageddon
- The second coming
- Scripture as proof (of whatever it is you may be foreseeing)
- Reptilian involvement
- The Trilateral Commission
- Prophetic dreams
- Any posts containing quotes like "OMGZ! Zecharia Sitchin pwns TU24! YOU"RE D3ad!~"

There are already heated and lengthy discussions regarding those asteroid Tu24 topics (and others) elsewhere on ATS.

I'm merely looking for answers in regards to viewing the asteroid this evening (early morning) and can't seem to find an answer anywhere.

I'm in the northeastern US (New Hampshire to be exact) and here's what I'm working with:

I have a small telescope; Celestron Nexstar 114 with two eyepieces (10mm & 25mm),
a pretty good elevation with no city lights nearby and projected clear skies.
I do have two cameras to capture stills (digital and film) off the viewfinder standing by (assuming I can even see it) and the last thing I need is some coordinates.

I'm wondering if anyone has a link to, or firsthand knowledge of where I should be looking this evening?

I thank all of you in advance for your help and assuming I'm not mining spice in Kessel this time tomorrow I'll post whatever pics I can come up with!

OK, let me try and help you.

I'm not much of an astronomer, but I'm pretty good with retention. Early in the thread about TU24, I read that it will be coming from the area of the Cassiopeia Constellation. It's suppossed to be as bright as a No10 grade star (what ever that means.) About 3:30 am est it will peak.

Do you have a Starry Night program? If so, plug in your lat and long, move the date to Jan 29 3:30 and look for the Cassiopeia Constelation.

A referance point for people is I am in central AZ at 7pm Jan 29 Cassiopeia will be between N and NW about 20 degrees off the horizon.

No guarantee that I'm correct, this is what I have read. Hope it helps.



[edit on 28-1-2008 by seawolf197]

Here is a link that may or may not help. There is an illustration (by a amatuer astronomer in Philly) that shows that track of tu24. I think that you can refine in to your location.

~article and illustration~

Good luck, happy viewing!

Originally posted by hsur2112
Here is a link that may or may not help. There is an illustration (by a amatuer astronomer in Philly) that shows that track of tu24. I think that you can refine in to your location.

~article and illustration~

Good luck, happy viewing!

What they need is something on Google that means you can watch these things 24 7 that would be sweet. Just constant servalience of asteroids headed for earth.

hmmm insteresting. here's some NASA data mr. comma. question sir. it said the TSTOP is 02/05/2008, what does it mean?

echo.jpl.nasa.gov...

That is the final date for which they are providing positional information for the asteroid, probably because it then becomes unobservable through anything other than the largest telescopes.

Originally posted by Mogget
That is the final date for which they are providing positional information for the asteroid, probably because it then becomes unobservable through anything other than the largest telescopes.

This seems about right, or more likely, spot on. TU24 was already tricky to see even on close approach. I'd say by now it'd be long gone by comparison on its merry little way, taking the expectations of doomsayers with it.