Question for the Astronomers about the June 2 asteroid.

[Darren]

I see there is an asteroid that's going to pass by close on June 2, 2011. My question is when and where is the best chance to see this, or can it be seen and do they even know when and where? I'll be watching for the shuttle and space station on that day also but an asteroid that's passing between the earth and the moon..

(Pasted text from www.cosmostv.org)
Asteroid 2009 BD, which was first observed on 16 January 2009 will pass approximately within 0.9 lunar distances (the distance between Earth and the Moon) of earth. Astronomers believe the rock is a rare “co-orbitalasteroidâ€

[alffink]

Darren

We have objects passing the earth, inside the moons orbit on a regular basis.

most like this one, are of low reflectance and difficult to see

to give a bit of visual understanding this asteroid is fairly small, it will pass nearly at the distance of the moon, average orbit nearly 250,000 miles from earth. If we are observing the moon, through a nice sized amateur telescope, say an 8" cassegrain....the smallest object that can be resolved, would look like a small rock laying in the sand of the moons surface, would in reality be near to 300 meters across...we wouldn't be able to see this asteroid if it was laying in the open on the bright surface of the moon.

[Darren]

Thanks Al. I wasn't expecting anything like in the movies, maybe a glimpse of it like a satellite passing was my thought. Low reflectance would be the problem there I guess.

[alffink]

Something you may be able to see from your location, will happen on May 30, just be fore sunrise.....the following is taken from the Star-gazer astronomy program, for the week of May 15-21 at www.starhustler.com

Well on Sunday morning May 29th these four Galilean moons will be lined up on the right side of Jupiter in order of their distance from Jupiter. Io, first then Europa, then Ganymede, then Callisto. Be sure to see this, it doesn't happen every day. There are three more planets down to the left of Jupiter, which you might see but it will be iffy. On Monday May 30th a super skinny Moon will be above Venus. Mars will be up to Venus' right and Mercury will be even lower and left of Venus. You'll have to have a lot of luck and a really clear horizon to see this though, but what the heck, give it a try. You'll never know unless you keep looking up!

back to me, a pair of binoculars will be af great help

peruse the "Current Show Scripts" this program is all about naked eye astronomy.