News Archive Jul-Dec 2004

Rants, raves, ramblings.....things that have happened that affect me, the observatory or the results obtained.

[December 18, 2004] New Lightcurve targets

Finally a break in the weather so I latched onto 319 Leona.  Got a 5 hour run and picked up a second target in the same field - 1775 Zimmerwald.  2 for the price of 1.

[November 17, 2004] Another break in the weather

The weather hasn't been too kind.  I'm not complaining about the rain but the wind is late this year and has caused problems with objects on the west side of the meridian.  4 more Lightcurve targets are nearing completion including 505 Cava, a collaborative effort for Southern Observers

[October 31, 2004] 3 more targets nearing completion

Almost completed 2 new lightcurves - both have their own challenges.  2000 OL19 is a 17.5 magnitude asteroid with large amplitude (1.2mag) while 479 Caprera is a magnitude 12.8 object with an amplitude of only 0.15mag

The weather has not been co-operating of late but I was fortunate to have a large enough window to complete the lightcurve for Asteroid 2351 O'Higgins.  I really did want to nail this one.

[October 6, 2004] Good weather sees some real progress

Just completed the lightcurve for 1998 KK17 with the analysis of my data confirmed by Dr Petr Pravec of the Planetary Institute, Czech Republic and commenced new target, 2000 SY2.

Professor Rick Binzel of MIT has also accepted my paper covering the Period Analysis of 4 Main Belt Asteroids for publication in the first edition of the Minor Planet Bulletin in 2005.

[October 2, 2004] Another 2 targets

Finally some clear weather.  Completed a couple of Urgent NEO follow-ups then moved onto photometry for 1998 KK17.  This time I got some useable data an a tentative rotation period.

I also commenced a new lightcurve for 605 Juvisia to provide collaboration assistance to John Menke, Starlight Farm Observatory, Barnesdale, MD, USA

Sent off paper to the Minor Planet Bulletin covering results of last 4 MP Lightcurves I have observed.

[August 27, 2004] A busy couple of weeks produces a suprise

Commenced new lightcurve for 14653 1998 YV11.  My primary targets were obscured by the moon and will be for the next 3 nights so I needed to find a target sufficiently distant from the moon in order to not waste a clear night.  The moon still impacted on the target resulting in quite noisy BUT usable data.

Completed lightcurve for 689 Zita and 25143 Itokawa.  Interestingly I received a call from a professional observer in Japan wishing to obtain my lightcurve data on Itokawa so that he could plan an Observing session on the Uni Hawaii Observatory Scope in support of the Muses-C mission.

Commenced new lightcurve for 981 Martina.   The first few hours worth of data are very flat.  This could be an interesting one.

[August 11, 2004] YORP Effect

Collaborating with another Australian Amateur in finishing off the lightcurve for 25143 (Itokawa) an NEO who's lightcurve was accurately measured in 2001 and who's rotation period is believed to have slowed measurably due to the YORP affect (sunlight).  Once our data is completed it will be included in the world wide collaboration on this target.

[July 21, 2004] Difficult target completed

Completed lightcurve for 1701 Okavango.  It started as an easy target but moved into crowded start fields so became a real challenge.

[July 2, 2004] Venus Transit at CSIRO

Added a Venus Transit page with pictures from the CSIRO Webcast setup.  CSIRO had asked for someone to provide observing facilities at their headquarters here in Canberra and I volunteered.

● Email Me at higginsdj at bigpond dot com ●