Reports from Geisei Observatory <August 18, 2002>

• Photographs of Minor Planet 2002 NY40
The near-earth asteroid 2002 NY40 appeared from nowhere. Photograph 1 was taken by Geisei's 60cm reflector with five 60-second exposures a minute apart. Photograph 2 was taken with a 10-minute exposure. Although it was the day before the closest approach to the earth, it was not very bright being fainter than the 11th magnitude. In a 20cm refractor I couldn't detect it.

( Photograph 1 )
2002 NY40
Exposure: 00:55-01:04 on TM400, August 18, 2002
60cm f/3.5 reflector at Geisei Observatory

( Photograph 2 )
2002 NY40
01:10 August 18, 2002
10-minute exposure on TM400
60cm f/3.5 reflector at Geisei Observatory

• Photograph of C/2002 O4(Hoenig)
This has now become a circumpolar comet. The magnitude has dropped to about 11, not easy to photograph. On the morning of August 18 by a 20cm telescope at 40x, the coma was 6' x 7' and magnitude 10.8. In the same morning C/2002 O6(SWAN) was very bright and quite easy in 7x50 binoculars. It is moving fast in twilight. A surprise appearance of Jupiter above the horizon at the break of dawn.I

C/2002 O4(Hoenig)
23:12 August 16, 2002
2-minute exposure on TP6415
60cm f/3.5 reflector at Geisei Observatory