I am interested in the minor planet with the below information (it has
my name!) How can I find a star chart to find its location on any
given day or time, or if that is impossible, some information about
it?

If you find the below tables have shifted or anything, you can
recreate the data by going to
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html and typing in "alkon"
in the first text box

(11169) Alkon 

Ephemeris is based on 5-opp elements from MPO 8364. Last observed on
2002 June 6.

Discovery date : 1998 03 20 
Discovery site : Socorro 
Discoverer(s) : LINEAR 

Further observations? None needed at this time. 

11169
Date       UT    R.A. (J2000) Decl.   Delta    r     El.    Ph.   V
  Sky Motion

 "/min    P.A.
2002 10 08 00   14 37.99   -13 26.0   3.262  2.414   26.9  10.8  19.6
  1.13   107.2
2002 10 09 00   14 39.78   -13 34.1   3.266  2.412   26.3  10.6  19.6
  1.14   107.0
2002 10 10 00   14 41.58   -13 42.0   3.269  2.409   25.8  10.4  19.5
  1.14   106.9
2002 10 11 00   14 43.38   -13 50.0   3.272  2.407   25.3  10.2  19.5
  1.14   106.8
2002 10 12 00   14 45.19   -13 57.9   3.275  2.405   24.8  10.0  19.5
  1.15   106.7
2002 10 13 00   14 47.00   -14 05.8   3.278  2.403   24.2   9.8  19.5
  1.15   106.6
2002 10 14 00   14 48.82   -14 13.6   3.280  2.401   23.7   9.6  19.5
  1.15   106.4
2002 10 15 00   14 50.65   -14 21.4   3.283  2.399   23.2   9.4  19.5
  1.16   106.3
2002 10 16 00   14 52.49   -14 29.2   3.286  2.396   22.7   9.2  19.5
  1.16   106.2
2002 10 17 00   14 54.33   -14 36.9   3.288  2.394   22.1   9.0  19.5
  1.16   106.0
2002 10 18 00   14 56.18   -14 44.6   3.290  2.392   21.6   8.8  19.5
  1.16   105.9
2002 10 19 00   14 58.04   -14 52.2   3.292  2.390   21.1   8.6  19.5
  1.17   105.8
2002 10 20 00   14 59.90   -14 59.8   3.295  2.388   20.6   8.4  19.5
  1.17   105.6
2002 10 21 00   15 01.77   -15 07.4   3.297  2.386   20.0   8.2  19.5
  1.17   105.5
2002 10 22 00   15 03.64   -15 14.9   3.298  2.384   19.5   8.0  19.4
  1.18   105.4
2002 10 23 00   15 05.53   -15 22.3   3.300  2.381   19.0   7.8  19.4
  1.18   105.2
2002 10 24 00   15 07.42   -15 29.7   3.302  2.379   18.5   7.6  19.4
  1.18   105.1
2002 10 25 00   15 09.31   -15 37.0   3.303  2.377   18.0   7.4  19.4
  1.18   104.9
2002 10 26 00   15 11.21   -15 44.3   3.305  2.375   17.4   7.2  19.4
  1.19   104.8
2002 10 27 00   15 13.12   -15 51.6   3.306  2.373   16.9   7.0  19.4
  1.19   104.6
2002 10 28 00   15 15.04   -15 58.7   3.307  2.371   16.4   6.8  19.4
  1.19   104.5

---

Request for Question Clarification by alienintelligence-ga on 08 Oct 2002 19:07 PDT

Hi alakon...

In order to tell you where to find it, I will need
to know where you are located at. In the event your
doppelganger is a fleet footed rock, I'll need to 
know the date you plan on looking for it on also.

thanks,
-AI

Hi Alkon...

Your minor planet isn't very fast as far as observing,
so you won't have to rush to catch it. It is unfortunately
setting at around 8pm on the west coast of the US at lower
latitudes. The next time where it is observable and possibly
viewable would be June 1st 2003, around 3am PST.

The bad news is... my charting program refers to it as
being at a magnitude of 18.89. That is VERY dim. So dim,
it is at the sensitivity range of many digital astrocams.
I don't think it will be possible to image it visually.
When it is visible again in June... it will be a mag of
17. While not probable, it is possible to view it at that
magnitude. Not necessarily directly though. Finding 
it would be tricky also  ;-) 

Here are your charts:

For October 8th, 2002
[ http://www.alienintelligence.com/misc_images/11169Alkon_20021009_0200U.jpg ]

For June 1st, 2003
[ http://www.alienintelligence.com/misc_images/11169Alkon_20030601_1016U.jpg ]

A little bit about the charts. 
They are in 'star chart' view. Black stars on white
background. Visual aspect ratio of star 'dots' to each
other represent visual magnitude or how bright they are.
Larger dot, brighter star. The circle in the middle is 5°
Field of view (small binoculars) The vertical grid is 5°
between lines. The dark line going through 11169 Alkon is
it's plane of orbit. Green line that is nearly parallel to
it is the plane of the ecliptic. #'s after stars are their 
magnitudes. Equatorial and astronomical coordinates
are given. Dark grey area is horizon line.

Location for charts is Southern California.
If this is not local to you, I'd be glad to make a new 
chart for your location. Also for a specified observing
time if you like.


-=search techniques=-
Customer supplied URL to verify ephemeris:
[ http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/MPEph/MPEph.html ]


thanks,
-AI

---

Request for Answer Clarification by alakon-ga on 09 Oct 2002 18:25 PDT

I live in Manhasset (zip code 11030) on Long Island, New York. I guess
I would not be interested in any particular date since I do not seem
to have the means to actually view the object... but my birthday on
September 20th 1986 would be nice, viewed from New York City.

---

Clarification of Answer by alienintelligence-ga on 10 Oct 2002 23:17 PDT

Excellent, that's great.

thank you for the 5* rating.

-AI

very good. I don't need the star chart since I have found some
astronomy software to do it myself... and the coincidence that MIT had
just sent me some information about the minor planet the next day.

Asteroid (minor planet) 11169 Alkon is now at about R.A. (right
ascension) 14 hours 40 minutes and Decl. (declination) minus 13
degrees 34 minutes. (Right ascension in the sky corresponds to
longitude on the earth, and declination in the sky to latitude on the
earth.) That location is in the constellation Libra. Right now it is
very low in the west at sunset.

Any good star atlas that you might find in a library or bookstore will
show you the sky with right ascension and declination coordinates
along the sides, top, and bottom. Astronomical software is available
to do the same.

Keep in mind that this asteroid is very faint. A serious telescope
would be required to see it.