# Florence fly by- can it be seen with a junky telescope?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florence-fly-by-can-it-be-seen-with-a-junky-telescope/795244>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 1, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florence-fly-by-can-it-be-seen-with-a-junky-telescope/795244 "2017-09-01T13:56:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5a626/32.png) [@Pippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pippers)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florence-fly-by-can-it-be-seen-with-a-junky-telescope/795244/1 "2017-09-01T13:56:33Z")

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> **[Florence: Largest asteroid in century to safely fly by Earth](https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41121245)**
>
> Florence will pass by at a relatively close distance but scientists say there is nothing to worry about.

I’ve got a cheapo telescope from years ago, its packed in my crap somewhere. Would it be worth my time to dig it out? What will I be able to view?

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**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florence-fly-by-can-it-be-seen-with-a-junky-telescope/795244/2 "2017-09-01T14:04:24Z")

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> [@Pippers](#):
>
> [Florence: Largest asteroid in century to safely fly by Earth](http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41121245)
> 
> I’ve got a cheapo telescope from years ago, its packed in my crap somewhere. Would it be worth my time to dig it out? What will I be able to view?

From the _Sky and Telescope_ website [“Asteroid Florence Pays Earth a Visit”](http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/see-asteroid-florence-fly-by-earth-this-week/) – Aug 30th, 2017:

> [@](#):
>
> That’s why I’ve got some great news. Florence shines at peak magnitude of 8.7 tonight (August 30th) and remains brighter than magnitude 10 through September 5th. That means that even with a semi-bright Moon in the sky, some of you will be able to pick it up in binoculars, and anyone with a 4-inch or larger telescope should _kill_ it.

Emphasis theirs

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**Author:** ![Pippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5a626/32.png) [@Pippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pippers)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/florence-fly-by-can-it-be-seen-with-a-junky-telescope/795244/3 "2017-09-01T19:34:43Z")

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Score! I’m digging it out. Thanks 🙂