New data has confirmed that asteroid 2011 AG5 will not hit the Earth in 2040.
You can relax: New data has confirmed that asteroid 2011 AG5 will not hit the Earth in 2040.
Tag: asteroids
An meteorite that crashed in the Sierra Nevadas in April was traveling at the fastest speed on record, almost 18 miles per second.
An meteorite that crashed in the Sierra Nevada mountains in April was traveling at the fastest speed on record for an meteorite, almost 18 miles per second.
Watch a three mile wide asteroid fly past the Earth – live tonight from 5 to 11 pm (Eastern)!
Watch a three mile wide asteroid fly past the Earth – live tonight from 5 to 11 pm (Eastern)!
Gullies on Vesta?
Messenger has found new and “compelling” evidence that there is water ice locked in the permanently shadowed craters of Mercury.
Messenger has found new and “compelling” evidence that there is water ice locked in the permanently shadowed craters of Mercury.
On Monday I had spoken to one of the project scientists for this discovery, David Lawrence, in connection with an article I am doing for Astronomy on the evidence of water on the Moon. I knew the Mercury announcement was coming, and asked him for some details. Based on what he told me, it struck me that the evidence for water on Mercury is actually more conclusive than the evidence for the Moon. (In fact, inconclusive nature of the lunar data is the point of my Astronomy article, based on previous posts here and here on Behind The Black.
The more intriguing aspect of this discovery on Mercury, however, is the unknown dark material that covers and protects some of this water ice. That some scientists believe it might even be organic material deposited there by comets and asteroids is most interesting.
Impressive radar images of near-Earth asteroid 2007 PA8 were taken during its recent fly-by of Earth.
Impressive radar images of near-Earth asteroid 2007 PA8 were taken during its recent fly-by of Earth.
The images … reveal possible craters, boulders, an irregular, asymmetric shape, and very slow rotation. The asteroid measures approximately one mile wide (about 1.6 kilometers).
The asteroid poses no threat to Earth. The resolution of the images, however, is astonishing, especially considering it was done by radar.
Meteorite hunters in Poland have found Eastern Europe’s larges meteorite weighing almost 700 pounds.
Meteorite hunters in Poland have found Eastern Europe’s larges meteorite, weighing almost 700 pounds.
The B612 foundation has signed its first contract for building Sentinel, its private infrared space telescope designed to find asteroids that might impact the Earth.
The B612 foundation has signed its first contract for building Sentinel, its private infrared space telescope designed to find asteroids that might impact the Earth.
A house-sized asteroid will zip past the Earth in February at a distance less than 14,000 miles.
Chicken Little report: A house-sized asteroid will zip past the Earth in February at a distance less than 14,000 miles.
The asteroid, referred to as 2012 DA14, has a diameter of approximately 45m and an estimated mass of 130,000 tonnes. It was discovered at the start of 2012 and is set to travel between the Earth and our geostationary communication satellites on 15 February 2013. At a distance of just 22,500km this will be the closest asteroid ‘fly by’ in recorded history. Asteroid and comet researchers will be gathering at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, U.S., to watch the event, but experts say there is no chance of a collision – this time.
The claim that this is the closest “fly by” in recorded history sounds bogus to me, but because of the size of this asteroid the fly-by will nonetheless be quite interesting. Scientists should be able to get a very good look at 2012 DA14 as it goes by.
Meteorite experts now think the rock that hit a pastor’s house could be a piece from last week’s San Francisco fireball.
The uncertainty of science: Meteorite experts now think the rock that hit a pastor’s house could be a piece from last week’s San Francisco fireball.
At first they said, “Yes it was from space,” then they said “No it is not from space.” Now they think yes.
Firing paintballs at an asteroid to prevent it from hitting the Earth.
Firing paintballs at an asteroid to prevent it from hitting the Earth.
The rock found on Sunday is not part of the meteor that fell over San Francisco last week.
False alarm: The rock found on Sunday is not part of the meteor that fell over San Francisco last week.
The first piece of a meteor that fell over San Francisco on Wednesday has been found.
The first piece of a meteor that fell over San Francisco on Wednesday has been found.
The 2.2-ounce meteorite hit the roof of Rev. Kent and Lisa Webber on St. Francis Avenue on Thursday night, but they didn’t realize at the time what it was, according to Novato Patch.
The science team for New Horizons is considering shifting the spacecraft’s Pluto flyby away from the planet to avoid orbital debris.
The science team for New Horizons is considering shifting the spacecraft’s Pluto flyby away from the planet to avoid orbital debris.
“We’ve found more and more moons orbiting near Pluto — the count is now up to five,” Stern said. “And we’ve come to appreciate that those moons, as well as others not yet discovered, act as debris generators populating the Pluto system with shards from collisions between those moons and small Kuiper Belt objects.”
Telescopes of the future
Two stories were published on Thursday about two very different future space telescopes. Both are worthwhile, but the differences between them illustrate how the industry of space astronomy — like manned space — is evolving from Big Science and government to small, efficient, and privately built.
First there is this story describing how the nonprofit B612 Foundation’s project to launch an infrared telescope by 2017 had passed its first technical review.
» Read more
Scientists studying a meteorite thought to come from the asteroid Vesta have concluded that it contains evidence that the asteroid once had a magnetic field.
Scientists studying a meteorite thought to come from the asteroid Vesta have concluded that it contains evidence that the asteroid once had a magnetic field.
This appears to be a very tentative finding, intriguing and possible, but not yet strongly proven.
Deep Impact fired its engines today to adjust its orbit, giving it the option of visiting a near Earth asteroid in the future.
Deep Impact fired its engines today to adjust its orbit, giving it the option of visiting a near Earth asteroid in the future.
The press release is very vague about this future mission. I suspect there is a question of funding, which means that even if they can go to the asteroid, they might not have the funds to staff the mission.
The troughs of Vesta: evidence of a failed planet.
Newly released results from Dawn have found evidence of hydrogen on the surface of Vesta
Newly released results from Dawn have found evidence of hydrogen on the surface of Vesta, which also suggests that the asteroid once had water. More here.
The article focuses on the possibility that the hydrogen originally came from ice placed there by icy asteroids. While likely, this remains only one possible explanation.
Amateurs astronomers have once again captured images of an impact of something on Jupiter.
Amateurs astronomers have once again captured images of a major impact of something on Jupiter.