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Comet to Make Close Flyby of Red Planet in October 2014

By Guest PostMarch 7, 2013Scienceapproach to mars, binoculars, california institute, comet 2013 a1, deimos, distant oort cloud, earth, magnitude, mars impact, near earth object, neo program, observatory in australia, outermost moon, pasadena, program, red planet, rob mcnaught, siding spring, solar system, spaceguard, surface, Technology, telescopes, trajectory of comet

Comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will make a very close approach to Mars in October 2014.

The latest trajectory of comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) generated by the Near-Earth Object Program Office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., indicates the comet will pass within 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) of Mars and there is a strong possibility that it might pass much closer. The NEO Program Office’s current estimate based on observations through March 1, 2013, has it passing about 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) from the Red Planet’s surface. That distance is about two-and-a-half times that of the orbit of outermost moon, Deimos.

Scientists generated the trajectory for comet Siding Spring based on the data obtained by observations since October 2012. Further refinement to its orbit is expected as more observational data is obtained. At present, Mars lies within the range of possible paths for the comet and the possibility of an impact cannot be excluded. However, since the impact probability is currently less than one in 600, future observations are expected to provide data that will completely rule out a Mars impact. (more…)

Asteroid 2011 AG5 – A Reality Check

By Guest PostMarch 2, 2012Sciencearizona, asteroid 2011 ag5, cassegrain reflector telescope, catalina mountains, don yeomans, earth interception, gravitational influence, mars, mount lemmon, near earth object, orbit, space rock, spaceguard, torino impact hazard scale, tucson

Asteroid 2011 AG5 has been receiving a lot of attention lately because of a very unlikely scenario which would place it on an Earth-interception course 28 years from now. Here is a scientific reality check of this relatively nondescript space rock which is currently ranked a “1” on the 1 to 10 Torino Impact Hazard Scale

As of Feb. 26, 2012, asteroid 2011 AG5 is one of 8,744 near-Earth objects that have been discovered. It is approximately 460 feet (140 meters) in size and its orbit carries it as far out as beyond Mars’ orbit and as close to the sun as halfway between Earth and Venus. It was discovered on Jan. 8, 2011, by astronomers using a 60-inch Cassegrain reflector telescope located at the summit of Mount Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. (more…)

Origin of Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Remains a Mystery

By Guest PostSeptember 21, 2011Scienceamy mainzer, asteroid belt between mars and jupiter, asteroids, baptistina, baptistina family, demise of the dinosaurs, dinosaurs extinction, earth, greatest mysteries, gulf of mexico, huge asteroid, jet propulsion laboratory, joseph masiero, jpl, lindley johnson, NASA, nasa headquarters in washington, near earth object, neo, neowise, pasadena, visible light data, wide field infrared survey explorer, wise

PASADENA, Calif. — Observations from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission indicate the family of asteroids some believed was responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs is not likely the culprit, keeping open the case on one of Earth’s greatest mysteries.

While scientists are confident a large asteroid crashed into Earth approximately 65 million years ago, leading to the extinction of dinosaurs and some other life forms on our planet, they do not know exactly where the asteroid came from or how it made its way to Earth. A 2007 study using visible-light data from ground-based telescopes first suggested the remnant of a huge asteroid, known as Baptistina, as a possible suspect. (more…)

Tag Archives: near earth object

Comet to Make Close Flyby of Red Planet in October 2014

Asteroid 2011 AG5 – A Reality Check

Origin of Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Remains a Mystery