The binary asteroid (65803) Didymos is a target of the Binary Asteroid in-situ Explorer (BASiX) mission (PI D. Scheeres) that was proposed to NASA in September 2010. It is also a candidate for detection of the BYORP effect (McMahon and Scheeres, Icarus 209, 494, 2010; Pravec and Scheirich, BAAS 42, 1055, 2010, also available here).
Following table summarizes planned observations of Didymos in its 2011 apparition.
| Date | Session | R.A. (J2000.0) Decl. | V | Apparent motion | Telescope | Observatory | PI/Observer(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT | hour UT | (session start) | (session end) | "/min | P.A. (deg) | ||||||
| 2011-04- | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.2-m UH | Mauna Kea | J. Pittichova |
| 2011-05- | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.2-m UH | Mauna Kea | J. Pittichova |
| 2011-06-01 | 4.3 – 9.2 | 14 11 14.9 | −10 48 01 | 14 11 02.8 | −10 47 26 | 21.2 | 0.62 | 281.2 | 5.0-m Hale | Mt. Palomar | M. Brozovic |
| 2011-06-05 | 2.3 – 7.2 | 14 07 46.1 | −10 38 09 | 14 07 35.7 | −10 37 42 | 21.3 | 0.53 | 279.7 | 3.5-m ARC | Apache Point | S. Jacobson |
| 2011-06-06 | (3.1) – 7.1 | 14 06 56.4 | −10 36 00 | 14 06 48.2 | −10 35 40 | 21.3 | 0.51 | 279.4 | 3.5-m ARC | Apache Point | S. Jacobson |
| 2011-06-07 | 2.3 – 7.2 | 14 06 12.1 | −10 34 10 | 14 06 02.5 | −10 33 48 | 21.3 | 0.49 | 279.0 | 3.5-m ARC | Apache Point | S. Jacobson |
| 2011-06-08 | 4.4 – 8.6 | 14 05 24.4 | −10 32 18 | 14 05 16.7 | −10 32 01 | 21.3 | 0.46 | 278.6 | 5.0-m Hale | Mt. Palomar | M. Brozovic |
| 2011-06- | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.2-m UH | Mauna Kea | J. Pittichova |
| 2011-06- | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.2-m UH | Mauna Kea | J. Pittichova |
"Session" here is defined as an interval when the asteroid's altitude > 20 deg and the sun's altitude < −16 deg.
Last updated: 2011 Mar. 14