Near-Earth Asteroid 2012DA14 (Feb 16, 2013)


Date & Time: Feb 16 2013, from 04:46:52 to 05:05:51 JST(+0900)
Lighten-mode composite of 28 shots with 30sec. exposed
Optical: AF zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm (f=85mm, Aperture: F4.0)
Auto-guided with Kenko SKYMEMO Equatorial
Digital Camera: Nikon D700
Location: Hitachi city, Ibaraki pref.

Camera Settings: Recording Format...JPEG-FINE (4256×2832)
Device Size...FX format (36×24mm)
Sensitivity...ISO3200, White Balance...Daylight


A compact asteroid of 2012DA14 with a diameter of about 50m, discovered in Feb 2012 could be observed passing 27700km in altitude at 4:24 JST of Feb 16, 2013. The altitude was lower than that of stationary satellites, it's very rare case that a natural object approaches the Earth with such a closed distance.
At Japan, the asteroid can be seen with 7th magnitude in brightness passing the eastern part of Leo in western skies from south to north rapidly. You can detect beta Leo, Denebola in left edge of the image. This image has composed plural shots with 30 seconds exposed, the asteroid is moving with a velocity of about a degree per a minute.



Near-Earth Asteroid 1998WT24
7th Scenes: Eclipse

Copyright(c) 2013 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
To top page To Moon&Planets index