[garywiz]

I was just plotting out the path of 2012DA14 using Sky Safari, and realised that it will be passing through Eta Carina at 4:58AM (viewed from the Mornington Peninsula). It will be approximate 44,000km from Earth at that point, and will be at the beginning of its approach to the nearest point. It will take about 2 minutes to transit Eta Carina, then will be moving for about an hour through dark skies toward it's nearest approach, and will disappear beneath the horizon just at about sunrise.

There is a wonderful viewing platform at the Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society Briars location (near Mount Martha). I know it's crazy early, and who knows whether the asteroid will be visible easily at all. With the light of Eta Carina as a backdrop, who knows, it may be possible, and at least a good reference point. The weather seems to stand a chance of being clear, and it might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Any interest?

If so, I will contact MPAS, and perhaps somebody there will be interested in getting out one of the bigger telescopes for the event. I have a Celestron 6SE, and would bring that along (if it's good enough for such an object, no idea).

(Note, I am also trusting that Sky Safari's orbit calculations are correct! But, everybody seems to believe they are accurate.)