Posted on 04/02/2006 2:13:59 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Did a planetary wobble kill the dinosaurs?Bruce Runnegar from the University of California at Los Angeles' Center for Astrobiology... and his colleagues used computer models to map out the Solar System for the past 250 million years. In particular, they looked at the perihelion of each planet - the point in its orbit where it is closest to the Sun. The perihelion of Earth rotates around the Sun with a period of hundreds of thousands of years. Because of subtle tugs and pulls between the planets, this period changes slightly with time... Their model suggests one of these blips significantly changed Mercury's orbit 65 million years ago. This wobble would have pulled at the asteroid belt, increasing the chances that asteroids in the Hungarias region would be knocked out of place. Now the researchers are running a fresh set of models to see how much the orbits of these asteroids changed. It wouldn't have been enough to send a shower of asteroids into the Earth, but Runnegar says the wobble could have sent a single asteroid onto collision course with our planet... Now he is planning to run his models forward in time, to see when the next potentially catastrophic planetary wobble will be.
by Nicola Jones
New Scientist
June 27 2001
Jupiter moon 'full of holes' (2002)
BBC News Online ^ | Tuesday, December 10, 2002 | Dr David Whitehouse
Posted on 05/14/2006 11:31:52 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1632294/posts
Neptune Might Have Captured Triton
Space.com on Yahoo | 5/10/06 | Sara Goudarzi
Posted on 05/10/2006 3:31:09 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1630007/posts
extrasolar:
Death Spiral: Why Theorists Can't Make Solar Systems
SPACE.com | Tue March 28, 2006 | Ker Than
Posted on 03/29/2006 1:21:37 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1605529/posts
Sizzling Comets Circle a Dying Star
NASA press release | July 11, 2001 | Dr. Tony Phillips
Posted on 03/15/2006 10:51:58 AM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1596767/posts
outer planets:
Jupiter moon 'full of holes' (2002)
BBC News Online | Tuesday, December 10, 2002 | Dr David Whitehouse
Posted on 05/14/2006 11:31:52 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1632294/posts
Jupiter's Great Red Spot Has Companion
NY Times | May 5, 2006 | JOHN NOBLE WILFORD
Posted on 05/07/2006 2:05:13 PM EDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1628232/posts
Neptune Might Have Captured Triton
Space.com on Yahoo | 5/10/06 | Sara Goudarzi
Posted on 05/10/2006 3:31:09 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1630007/posts
The Whole Enceladus
Science News Online | 05/06/06 | Ron Cowen
Posted on 05/07/2006 2:17:31 PM EDT by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1628242/posts
asteroids:
Big new asteroid has slim chance of hitting Earth
New Scientist | 2 May 2006 | David Chandler
Posted on 05/03/2006 1:34:56 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1625795/posts
Probe To 'Look Inside' Asteroids
BBC | 7-28-2004 | Paul Rincon
Posted on 07/28/2004 11:22:08 AM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1180232/posts
Venus:
Unexpected detail in first-ever Venus south pole images
European Space Agency | 13 April 2006 | European Space Agency
Posted on 04/14/2006 2:33:44 AM EDT by raygun
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1614847/posts
Reworked images reveal hot Venus
BBC | 1-13-03 | Dr David Whitehouse
Posted on 01/14/2004 8:25:16 PM EST by Central Scrutiniser
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1058128/posts
Venus may sustain life, say scientists
The Telegraph (U.K.) | 09/26/2002 | David Derbyshire
Posted on 09/25/2002 9:30:44 PM EDT by Pokey78
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/757376/posts
Venus clouds 'might harbour life' (Global Warming Apparently Not An Issue)
BBC News | Tuesday, 25 May, 2004 | Martin Redfern
Posted on 05/26/2004 12:09:24 PM EDT by presidio9
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1142574/posts
Is Venus Our Future? (Massive Runaway Global Barf Alert)
ABC News.com | April 22, 2002 | Amanda Onion
Posted on 04/22/2002 8:21:46 AM EDT by Jeff F
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/670489/posts
Venus Express has reached final orbit
European Space Agency | 9 May 2006 | ESA News (no specific individual credited)
Posted on 05/10/2006 11:46:25 PM EDT by annie laurie
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1630281/posts
some of these may have appeared above, I'm not going to check:
Sun/Sunspots:
Bumper sunspot crop forecast for next solar cycle
newscientist space | 7 March 2006 | Kimm Groshong
Posted on 03/09/2006 11:42:56 AM EST by S0122017
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1593170/posts
Solar Minimum has Arrived
NASA | 03.06.2006 | Dr. Tony Phillips
Posted on 03/07/2006 5:30:00 AM EST by S0122017
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1591488/posts
Mars:
Devilish weather on Mars
Christian Science Monitor | February 17, 2006 | Michelle Thaller
Posted on 02/21/2006 8:02:59 PM EST by Graybeard58
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1583092/posts
KBOs:
New Planet Is Bigger Than Pluto
AP on Yahoo | 2/1/06 | Alicia Chang - ap
Posted on 02/01/2006 2:04:55 PM EST by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1569542/posts
Mercury:
Was Mercury a hit-and-run planet?
MSNBC Space News | Jan. 11, 2006 | By Robert Roy Britt
Posted on 01/26/2006 1:26:47 AM EST by Swordmaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1565199/posts
Asteroids:
Iron meteorites may be solar system boomerangs
New Scientist | 17 February 2006 | Maggie McKee
Posted on 02/17/2006 12:06:57 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1580551/posts
Comets:
The Comet and the Future of Science
Thunderbolts.info | Feb 27, 2006
Posted on 03/10/2006 3:31:00 AM EST by Swordmaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1593682/posts
Flakier than Tony the Tiger:
How long have the Scientists Known?
Nextage Mission | 3.02.2006 | nextage
Posted on 02/03/2006 7:08:01 AM EST by nextage
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1570830/posts
Extrasolar:
Moving the Orbits of Planets
David Jewitt | Last updated Sep 2004 | David Jewitt
Posted on 02/02/2006 12:44:25 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1570230/posts
Planets Might Orbit Backward around Odd Star
Space dot com | 13 February 2006 | Robert Roy Britt
Posted on 02/20/2006 1:49:55 AM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1582016/posts
Scientists find Earth's center is outspinning the surface
Newark Star Ledger | 08.26.05
Posted on 09/11/2005 4:45:14 PM EDT by Coleus
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1482441/posts
Neptune:
Three New Moons Found Around Neptune - Researchers
Yahoo! News (Reuters) | 1/13/2003 | n/a
Posted on 01/13/2003 7:37:39 PM EST by Pyro7480
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/822092/posts
Neptune Might Have Captured Triton
Space.com on Yahoo | 5/10/06 | Sara Goudarzi
Posted on 05/10/2006 3:31:09 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1630007/posts
Mars:
Red Planet's Ancient Equator Located
Scientific American (online) | April 20, 2005 | Sarah Graham
Posted on 04/24/2005 11:18:25 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1390424/posts
"Festoons" Add to Martian Mysteries
Posted on 01/19/2006 9:12:34 PM EST by Swordmaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1561305/posts
Mars orbiter spots changes on Red Planet
AP | 9/20/5
Posted on 09/20/2005 7:12:58 PM EDT by SmithL
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1488221/posts
Asteroids:
Astronauts push for strategies, spacecraft to prevent cosmic collision
Flagstaff Arizona Sun | 11/06/2005 | Marcia Dunn
Posted on 11/06/2005 8:53:40 PM EST by Graybeard58
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1517000/posts
First Neptune Trojan Discovered
Lowell Observatory | January 8, 2003
Kristi Phillips, Manager of Media Relations and Public Affairs
Posted on 12/28/2005 6:40:34 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1548366/posts
Small Space Rock Spotted Hitting the Moon
http://space.com/scienceastronomy/051223_moon_meteoroid.html
23 December 2005 | By Leonard David
Posted on 12/27/2005 5:39:12 AM EST by AmethystCrystal
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1547486/posts
Comets:
Astronomers poised to apply novel way to look for comets beyond Neptune
EurekAlert | 7-Jan-2003 | Anne Stark
Posted on 11/08/2005 1:41:04 AM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1517866/posts
Interim Report on Deep Impact
Thunderbolts.info | 7/19/2005
Posted on 07/21/2005 4:28:18 AM EDT by Swordmaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1447376/posts
History's Greatest Comet Hunter Discovers 1,000th Comet
NASA | August 17 2005 | Bill Steigerwald
Posted on 09/01/2005 1:15:28 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1474623/posts
Comet put on list of potential Earth impactors
New Scientist | 1 June 2005 | David L Chandler
Posted on 06/02/2005 12:04:31 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1415144/posts
Saturn:
Do not Adjust Your Screen: Image from Cassini's Dione flyby
SpaceRef | 10/12/2005 | NASA
Posted on 10/14/2005 1:00:22 PM EDT by cogitator
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1502490/posts
New close-up of Hyperion, weird Saturn moon (links to others)
NASA/JPL | 12/07/2005 | Cassini
Posted on 12/07/2005 11:32:47 AM EST by cogitator
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1535705/posts
Recent Changes in Saturn Rings Puzzle Scientists
(Bush Administration to Blame)
Space.com | 9/7/05 | AP
Posted on 09/07/2005 7:05:24 AM EDT by nuke rocketeer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1479126/posts
Planets 'X':
Far-out worlds, just waiting to be found
New Scientist | 23 July 2005 (issue date) | Stuart Clark
Posted on 07/21/2005 1:54:18 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1447339/posts
Giant Kuiper Belt planetoid Sedna may have formed far beyond Pluto
Physics Org (http://www.physorg.com/)
January 24, 2005 | Southwest Research Institute
Posted on 10/22/2005 4:05:39 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1507383/posts
Mysterious deep-space object raises questions on Solar System's origins
PhysOrg | December 13, 2005 | AFP
Posted on 12/14/2005 1:12:29 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1540338/posts
NASA Prepares To Launch First Probe To The Kuiper Belt
Phys Org | December 09, 2005 | Space Daily / UPI
Posted on 12/14/2005 3:02:28 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1540425/posts
Rethinking the Planets
Popular Science | January 2006 issue (I believe) | Michael Stroh
Posted on 12/28/2005 5:36:18 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1548344/posts
Rogue Planet Find Makes Astronomers Ponder Theory
CNN / Reuters | October 5, 2000 | Maggie Fox
Posted on 12/28/2005 4:02:23 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1548304/posts
Tenth Planet Has a Moon!
Space and Earth science | October 03, 2005 | E-Mail Newsletter
Posted on 10/23/2005 12:33:39 AM EDT by vannrox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1507542/posts
Extrasolar:
Gravitational lensing spots second exoplanet
New Scientist | 05/24/05 | Kelly Young
Posted on 05/24/2005 7:18:25 PM EDT by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1409775/posts
Ice ages linked to earth's travels through galaxy
Waterbury Republican-American | August 2, 2005 | Keay Davidson (A.P.)
Posted on 08/02/2005 7:00:39 PM EDT by Graybeard58
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1455668/posts
Milky Way's warp caused by interloping galaxies
Reuters on Yahoo | 1/9/06 | Deborah Zabarenko
Posted on 01/09/2006 11:54:01 PM EST by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1555108/posts
Paradigm Lockout, Paradigm Paralysis?
Thunderbolts.info | 9/13/2005 | by Michael Armstrong
Posted on 09/13/2005 2:52:00 AM EDT by Swordmaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1483343/posts
Rapid-born planets present 'baby picture' of our early solar system
EurekAlert | September 9, 2005 | Staff
Posted on 09/10/2005 12:39:51 AM EDT by DaveLoneRanger
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1481572/posts
Scientists find possible birth of tiniest known solar system
spaceflightnow.com | 30 Nov 05 | Penn State
Posted on 11/30/2005 4:28:43 PM EST by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1531497/posts
Ping!
Did comets flood Earths oceans?
EurekaAlert | 16 June 2004
Posted on 06/16/2004 5:30:59 PM EDT by ckilmer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1154794/posts
Scientist: Comets Blasted Early Americans
ap on Yahoo | 10/28/05 | Meg Kinnard - ap
Posted on 10/28/2005 9:33:11 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1511330/posts
A Star Like Our OwnAn asteroid belt may have been found surrounding a star much like our own Sun, according to Dr. Charles Beichman of CIT. His team used NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to make the discovery. If confirmed, this would be the first asteroid belt detected around a star that is about the same age and size as our Sun. If true, it could offer a rare look at a star system that closely resembles our own... According to the astronomers, it is possible that a giant comet, as big as the planet Pluto, got knocked into the inner solar system and is slowly boiling away, shedding dust in the process. "The 'super comet' theory is more of a long shot," Beichman said, "but we'll know soon enough." Future observations of the star using Spitzer and ground-based telescopes are expected to conclude whether asteroids or comets are the source of the dust.
by Bill Christensen
29 April 2005
Artist's conception of the system shows the view from a planet that might exist in the system. Note the asteroid collision in the foreground - this replenishes the dust detected by the Spitzer telescope.
Planets Found in Potentially Habitable SetupThree medium-sized planets of roughly the same mass as Neptune have been discovered around... HD 69830, a star slightly less massive than the Sun located 41 light-years away in the constellation Puppis (the Stern)... previously discovered multi-planet solar systems besides our own contain at least one giant, Jupiter-sized planet... The outermost planets is located just within the star's habitable zone, where temperatures are moderate enough for liquid water to form, and the system also contains an asteroid belt. The newly discovered planets have masses of about 10, 12 and 18 times that of Earth and they zip around the star in rapid orbits of about 9, 32 and 197 days, respectively... Recent observations by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope last year revealed that HD 69830 also hosts an asteroid belt, making it the only other Sun-like star known to have one.
by Ker Than
17 May 2006
An artist's impression of the newly discovered planetary system. The planets are each about the mass of Neptune and orbit around the Sun-like star HD 69830. Credit: ESO
for the "That Makes One" dep't.Small Rocky Planet Found Orbiting Normal StarIts orbit is farther from its host star than Earth is from the Sun. Most known extrasolar planets reside inside the equivalent of Mercurys orbit. The planet is estimated to be about 5.5 times as massive as Earth and thought to be rocky. It orbits a red dwarf star about 28,000 light-years away. Red dwarfs are about one-fifth as massive as the Sun and up to 50 times fainter... Prior to this discovery, the smallest extrasolar planet found around a normal star was about 7.5 Earth masses. Earth-sized planets have been detected, but only around dying neutron stars... The planet and star are separated by about 2.5 astronomical units (AU). One AU is equal to the distance between the Earth and the Sun. Until now, no small planet had been found farther than 0.15 au from its parent star... "Microlensing should have discovered dozens of Jupiters by now if they were as common as these five-Earth-mass planets," said study co-author David Bennett. That suggests most of our galaxys planets are small and rocky. This prediction agrees with the standard model for solar system formation, known as the "core accretion" model.
by Ker Than
25 January 2006
Artist conception of new planet OGLE-2005-BLG-390Lb in orbit around a red dwarf star. Credit: ESO
The DamocloidsMy specific definition is that "a Damocloid is any point-source object having a Tisserand Parameter with respect to Jupiter less than or equal to 2". By this definition, there are 21 known Damocloids as of 2004 October. Here is a list of the first 20 Damocloids... Damocloids are the inactive nuclei of Halley Family Comets... some objects identified as Damocloids by the above criterion have subsequently developed comae... the distribution of inclinations of Damocloids is indistinguishable from that of the Halley Family Comets, even though the Tisserand selection criterion does not require that this be the case... about 25% of the Damocloids possess retrograde orbits, unlike any other asteroids... The albedos of four Damocloids have been measured and they are consistent in being amongst the lowest recorded for any Solar System objects (albedos are a few %). The Damocloids are extremely dark. The surfaces are redder than sunlight but the ultrared matter that is found on many Kuiper Belt Objects and Centaurs is not present on the Damocloids... The known examples are of modest size, with a median radius of 8 km.
by David Jewitt
Last updated June 2005Origin of Trans-Neptunian AsteroidsThe distinction between comets and asteroids has become rather blurred over the past decade because no single characteristic uniquely identifies a body as either with certainty. For example, debate still rages over whether the Jupiter impactor, Shoemaker-Levy 9, was a comet or an asteroid. Despite having very different origins in conventional models, comets and asteroids have continued to display similar reflectance spectra, albedos, size ranges, etc. Comas and tails are the best guides we have to indicate that an object is a comet. But many comets display no tails; indeed, virtually all of them beyond Jupiter do not. And some comets have lost their comas, becoming completely asteroidal in appearance, while some asteroids have suddenly begun to exhibit comet-like activity, including the surprise appearance of a tail in one case.
by Tom Van Flandern
Meta Research Bulletin
Volume 4, Number 3, 1995/09/15
Highly elongated orbits used to be associated exclusively with comets until the discovery of some unusual objects without coma or tail that therefore appear to be asteroids, yet moving in highly elongated, planet-crossing orbits. Pholus is one such object. The object Chiron is another example of the dilemma, since it was first assumed to be a large asteroid in a planet-like orbit crossing the orbits of Saturn and Uranus. When it was later found to have brightness variability, many astronomers began to call it a comet.
some people will believe anything:
Chance of asteroids hitting earth very slim - Russian astronomers
INterfax | May 8 2006 12:01PM
Posted on 05/08/2006 1:46:41 PM EDT by x5452
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1628667/posts
oh, by the way, Russian 'astronomers':
SIBERIA METEORITE FLATTENS 40 SQ MILES
The Times | 7 June 2003 | Robin Shepherd
Posted on 06/09/2003 8:25:21 PM EDT by Mike Darancette
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/926025/posts
Very Large Meteorite Fell Down in Siberia
Pravda | 15:33 2003-03-18
Posted on 06/13/2004 6:24:49 PM EDT by ckilmer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1152933/posts
Water Found In Meteorite
BBC | 8-27-1999
Posted on 01/25/2006 11:52:11 PM EST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1565161/posts
I'm sure there are some repeats:
Astronomers find 'home from home' - 90 light years away!
spaceref.com | 3 Jul 03 | staff
Posted on 07/03/2003 1:22:13 PM EDT by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/939950/posts
Astronomers Report Finding a Solar System With Similarities to Ours
NY Times | May 17, 2006 | DENNIS OVERBYE
Posted on 05/18/2006 4:48:53 AM EDT by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1634225/posts
New planet discovered in Milky Way
CNET | Wed Jan 25 | Stefanie Olsen
Posted on 01/25/2006 8:56:47 PM EST by nickcarraway
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1565075/posts
Odds against Earth-like planets
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2701977.stm
January 28, 2003 | Dr David Whitehouse
Posted on 01/28/2003 2:50:07 PM EST by conservativecorner
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/831235/posts
Plenty of Earths await discovery
BBC | 4/5/05 | Jonathan Amos
Posted on 04/05/2005 12:36:50 PM EDT by LibWhacker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1377840/posts
Rapid-born planets present 'baby picture' of our early solar system
EurekAlert | September 9, 2005 | Staff
Posted on 09/10/2005 12:39:51 AM EDT by DaveLoneRanger
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1481572/posts
Scientists discover moon orbiting so-called 10th planet (nicknamed 'Xena')
ap on Monterey Herald | 10/1/05 | Alicia Chang - ap
Posted on 10/01/2005 8:10:46 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1495009/posts
Scientists find possible birth of tiniest known solar system
spaceflightnow.com | 30 Nov 05 | Penn State
Posted on 11/30/2005 4:28:43 PM EST by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1531497/posts
Solar system similar to ours discovered: US astronomers
Yahoo! News via Drudge | June 13, 2002 | Yahoo! News staff
Posted on 06/13/2002 7:17:37 PM EDT by Exit 109
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/699740/posts
BIG BANG IN ANTARCTICA -- KILLER CRATER FOUND UNDER ICE
Ohio State University | 01 June 2006 | Staff (press release)
Posted on 06/01/2006 5:26:58 PM EDT by PatrickHenry
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1641966/posts
Extreme Kuiper Belt Object 2001 QG298Extensive time-resolved observations of Kuiper Belt object 2001 QG298 show a lightcurve with a peak-to-peak variation of 1.14 +-0.04 magnitudes and single-peaked period of 6.8872 +- 0.0002 hr. The mean absolute magnitude is 6.85 magnitudes which corresponds to a mean effective radius of 122 (77) km if an albedo of 0.04 (0.10) is assumed. This is the first known Kuiper Belt object and only the third minor planet with a radius > 25 km to display a lightcurve with a range in excess of 1 magnitude. We find the colors to be typical for a Kuiper Belt object (B-V = 1.00 +- 0.04, V-R = 0.60 +- 0.02) with no variation in color between minimum and maximum light. The large light variation, relatively long double-peaked period and absence of rotational color change argue against explanations due to albedo markings or elongation due to high angular momentum. Instead, we suggest that 2001 QG298 may be a very close or contact binary similar in structure to what has been independently proposed for the Trojan asteroid 624 Hektor. If so, its rotational period would be twice the lightcurve period or 13.7744 +- 0.0004 hr. By correcting for the effects of projection, we estimate that the fraction of similar objects in the Kuiper Belt is at least 10% to 20% with the true fraction probably much higher. A high abundance of close and contact binaries is expected in some scenarios for the evolution of binary Kuiper Belt objects.
and the Fraction of Contact Binaries
by Scott S. Sheppard and David Jewitt
Astronomical Journal
pdf version
BIG BANG IN ANTARCTICA -- KILLER CRATER FOUND UNDER ICE
Ohio State University | 01 June 2006 | Staff (press release)
Posted on 06/01/2006 5:26:58 PM EDT by PatrickHenry
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1641966/posts
Giant Crater Found [in Antarctica]: Tied to Worst Mass Extinction Ever [Permo-Triassic]
SPACE.com | June 2, 2006 | Robert Roy Britt
Posted on 06/02/2006 2:44:43 PM EDT by cogitator
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642426/posts
Meteor mega-hit spawned Australian continent: researchers
AFP on Yahoo | 6/2/06 | AFP
Posted on 06/03/2006 6:23:27 PM EDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642946/posts
Does a giant crater lie beneath the Antarctic ice?
nature news | 2 06 | Mark Peplow
Posted on 06/05/2006 12:07:10 PM EDT by S0122017
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1643681/posts
BBC: Arctic's tropical past uncovered
~~ ( So Global Warming isn't someting new....?)
BBC | Wednesday, 31 May 2006, 17:21 GMT 18:21 UK | Rebecca Morelle Science reporter, BBC News
Posted on 05/31/2006 4:19:27 PM EDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1641377/posts
Asteroid Juno Has A "Bite" Out Of It
SpaceDaily | Aug 11, 2003 | unattributed
Posted on 06/03/2006 2:16:51 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1642711/posts
Asteroid Vesta
Views of the Solar System | circa 2001 | Calvin J. Hamilton
Posted on 06/17/2006 10:51:28 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1651297/posts
Asteroids Spoelhof and Griffioen
Calvin College | June 15, 2006 | unattributed
Posted on 06/17/2006 9:56:04 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1651278/posts
Clandestine comets found in main asteroid belt - Earth oceans origin
newscientist space | 23 March 2006
Posted on 03/24/2006 5:26:05 AM EST by S0122017
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602203/posts
Corkscrew Asteroid (Leaving Earth Orbit)
Science NASA | 6-9-2006
Posted on 06/09/2006 6:54:45 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1646542/posts
Discovery Channel Airs New Show on Krakatoa
(plus pointers to awesome Montserrat video)
Discovery Channel
Posted on 06/09/2006 3:25:00 PM EDT by cogitator
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1646435/posts
Early Earth Likely Had Continents, Was Habitable, According To New Study
University of Colorado at Boulder | 2005-11-18 | University of Colorado at Boulder
Posted on 11/18/2005 11:32:59 PM EST by dila81
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1525001/posts
Explosive fireball said to shake Earth
World Net Daily | 1-12-05 | World Net Daily
Posted on 01/12/2005 11:27:52 PM EST by hope
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319717/posts
Giant Asteroid To Pass Near Earth Wednesday September 29
http://survivalcenter.com/planetx082804.html
Posted on 09/20/2004 11:56:32 PM EDT by Rome2000
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1222071/posts
Global warming, not asteroid, cause of extinction?
c|net news.com | 1/20/2005 | Michael Kanellos
Posted on 01/21/2005 10:09:59 AM EST by Zon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1325390/posts
Having Pups Over Pluto And The Planetary Misfits Of The Kuipers
spacedaily.com | 12 Mar 03 | Robert Sanders
Posted on 03/12/2003 8:27:54 PM EST by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/863325/posts
Jovian Storms Prepare To Duke It Out
space.com | 06/05/06 | Ker Than
Posted on 06/05/2006 10:27:35 PM EDT by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1644036/posts
New Trojan Asteroid Hints At Huge Neptunian Cloud
New Scientist | 6-15-2006 | Kelly Young
Posted on 06/15/2006 5:26:20 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1650110/posts
"Planemos" May Give Rise to Planets, Moons
Scientific American | June 06, 2006 | David Biello
Posted on 06/06/2006 2:08:11 AM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1644108/posts
Planets Around Planets?
Sky and Telescope | 06/05/06 | Robert Naeye
Posted on 06/05/2006 10:32:33 PM EDT by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1644037/posts
Reversal of Earth's Magnetic Field
(Hey Algore read this)
Projects in Scientific Computing | N/A | Gary Glatzmaier, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Posted on 06/03/2006 10:00:13 AM EDT by ThreePuttinDude
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1642780/posts
Saturn's Moon Iapetus Shows a Bulging Waistline
NASA | 1/7/2005 | Staff
Posted on 01/10/2005 12:10:32 AM EST by Southack
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1317479/posts
Scientists Say Earth Formed Faster
Associated Press | Wed Aug 28, 2:00 PM ET | RICK CALLAHAN
Posted on 08/29/2002 1:42:37 PM EDT by Junior
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/741407/posts
Those Enigmatic Erratics: Out-of-Place Artifacts or Out-of-Whack Chronology
Strange | issue #22 | Philip Rife
Posted on 01/12/2005 2:11:11 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1319351/posts
Tremors rock earth deep beneath San Andreas Fault - Puzzling vibrations baffle researchers
SF Chronicle | December 10, 2004 | David Perlman
Posted on 12/10/2004 11:59:17 AM EST by NYer
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1298650/posts
PAX TV Kicks U.S. Space Command In The Slats
Source: YOWUSA.COM
Author: Marshall Masters
Posted on 04/18/2001 08:44:13 PDT by sirgawain
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3addb64d7850.htm
Meteorite study finds no trace of life on Mars
Source: The London Telegraph
Published: Thursday March 2, 2000 Author: By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
Posted on 03/02/2000 04:12:27 PST by RaceBannon
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a38be5aab6ce3.htm
Did Life Drip Down From Earth's Ancient Atmosphere
Source: spacedaily.com
Published: 17 oct 00 Author: STAFF
Posted on 10/25/2000 12:21:10 PDT by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a39f732a6231b.htm
Researchers explain gas planet satellite systemsJupiter's four Galilean satellites are each roughly similar in size, while Saturn has one large satellite together with numerous much smaller satellites. Even so, the total mass in both satellite systems is about a hundredth of one percent (0.0001) of the respective planet's mass. The Uranian satellite system structure is similar to that of Jupiter, and it also exhibits the same mass ratio. In contrast, the large satellites of solid planets contain much larger fractions of their planet's masses, with the Moon containing 1 percent (0.01) of the Earth's mass, and Pluto's satellite, Charon, containing more than 10 percent (0.1) of its mass.
Southwest Research Institute
June 14, 2006
Stars Swallow Planets and Researchers Have ProofA light spectrum analysis of HD82943a star slightly hotter and larger than the sun, harboring its own planetary systemrevealed that it contained traces of an isotope of lithium called Lithium-6, or 6Li. Although 6Li is common in planets, it burns up quickly in stars after they are born and thus shouldn't exist in a star like HD82943... To confirm their theory, the scientists looked at another star that shared HD82943's characteristics except that it did not have planets. In keeping, they found that did not have 6Li in its spectrum. The researchers hope that this finding will help to explain how so-called exoplanets form and if this kind of cannibalism is a common process.
by Harald Franzen
May 10, 2001
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