Huge asteroid to fly past Earth (Toutatis hoax - how and why)

space.com ^ | 04/09/29

[Truth666]

HOW - 1. "actually you will not be able to see it ... "

Spotting Toutatis
Toutatis will not be visible to the unaided eye. Experienced telescope users can see it now from the Southern Hemisphere, and in early October it will be visible from the north.

Finding Toutatis will be challenging, Harris said, due to a combination of the asteroid's position in the sky and interfering moonlight.

Because the asteroid is so close, its location in the sky will vary significantly for skywatchers in different places on Earth at any given moment. And because it moves quickly, the location changes constantly. Printed sky maps don't always provide enough detail to be useful.

"In a large telescope the motion would be perceptible against any stars in the field more or less in real time, sort of like watching the second hand on a clock," Harris said, adding that the movement would be "not quite that fast, but noticeable."

Highly experienced observers will use complex plotting information known as ephemeris data. Others can use software programs that generate maps for specific times and locations.

At its closest on September 29, Toutatis will be visible only to observers in the Southern Hemisphere.

Large and steady binoculars will be able to pick out the pinprick of sunlight reflecting off the asteroid, providing observers "use a good program like Starry Night Pro to plot its incredibly rapid motion across the sky," said Clay Sherrod of the Arkansas Sky Observatory. (The software company Starry Night is owned by Imaginova, parent also of SPACE.com.)

Soon thereafter, experienced backyard astronomers north of the equator will have a chance to find Toutatis.

"By early October, it will suddenly be re-emerging into northern skies as its apparent trajectory will bring it back into very favorable view," Sherrod said in an e-mail interview. But by then the asteroid will be moving away from Earth and getting dimmer. It will quickly become "very difficult" to spot even with an 8-inch telescope, he said.

HOW - 2. "... but we already saw it "

Sherrod photographed the giant space rock last week (it was visible then in the north through large telescopes) and said exposures longer than eight seconds showed a trail as the giant rock moved slightly against the background of stars.

"It has been quite a wonderful show so far," he said.

HOW / WHY - "we know all about what's going on around us - even about the weirdest, smallest body"

Asteroid Toutatis was discovered in 1989. Scientists have modeled its strange rotation and odd shape -- it looks something like a pockmarked dumbbell -- on previous flybys.

Instead of a fixed north pole, Toutatis' axis of rotation wanders in two separate cycles of 5.4 and 7.3 Earth-days. So while most asteroids rotate somewhat like a football thrown in a perfect spiral, "Toutatis tumbles like a flubbed pass," says Scott Hudson of Washington State University.

Astronomers will use this week's flyby to examine Toutatis in greater detail, with a goal of pinning down the rock's rate of spin and better estimating its future path.


WHY - "relax, nothing is going to happen here, at least in your life time"

While some rumors have suggested the asteroid's forecasted course might be off by enough to cause a collision with Earth, Sherrod agrees with Harris and other scientists that there is no chance for calamity. Sherrod has been monitoring Toutatis' movement since July 3, logging more than 500 observations that allow mapping of a precise trajectory.

"Although the actual path of it has indeed varied a slight bit from the original calculated, there is absolutely no chance of a physical encounter or impact with Earth," he said.

[Truth666]

This is the text that media use to sell this hoax. (see http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/09/28/asteriod.fly/index.html).
Astronomers know nothing about the universe, except for a few large bodies with regular orbits. Any idiot should have understood that the latest by April 14, 2004, as comet Bradfield (diameter : 10,000 km) popped out of nowhere to become the largest body ever recorded in the inner solar system.
Notice that all I did was to change the headlines to the text. Interestingly one of the original headlines was "When, where and how" ...

[Old Sarge]

"By Toutatis..."

[Roccus]

The sky is falling!!!!

[No Surrender No Retreat]

Kerry would have handled this situatioin in a more sesitive way. "All Americans to receive asteroid counselling." Bush/Cheney 2004

[Uncle Vlad]

It's all Bush's fault!

[commish]

well shucks..I better get under my bed right now.

[Rebel_Ace]

"...This is the text that media use to sell this hoax. (see http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/09/28/asteriod.fly/index.html). Astronomers know nothing about the universe, except for a few large bodies with regular orbits. Any idiot should have understood that the latest by April 14, 2004, as comet Bradfield (diameter : 10,000 km) popped out of nowhere to become the largest body ever recorded in the inner solar system..."

I suppose too that ANY IDIOT would know that hundreds of minor comets and other bodies are discovered each year by amateur astronomers using only modest equipment. Shoemaker-Levy 9 ring a bell? Hoax you say? Tell you what, the article says it can be seen using a modest 8" reflector. Do a GOOGLE search, get the Right Ascention and Declination figures for the appropriate dates, AND SEE FOR YOURSELF. That's science, repeatable and verifiable by others. You can mooch along with some telescope club in your area if you don't have the equipment.

Do you understand how UTTERLY DAN RATHER STUPID it would be to publish false information about an astronomical event when literally HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of people who are interested and capable can CHECK IT OUT THEMSELVES?

You can't FAKE an astronomical occurance. If you believe this information is false, use the proper equipment and check it out. Until then, keep your accusations of fraud to yourself.

[Truth666]

Do a GOOGLE search, get the Right Ascention and Declination figures for the appropriate dates, AND SEE FOR YOURSELF.
And what location south from the 60° parallel in the Southern Hemisphere would you recommend me to go to ?

[Rebel_Ace]

Try reading this for PICTURES of the Asteroid you can't SEE:
NASA INFO ON TOUTATIS
The article also has an approach table. I am sure with a little more digging, you can get R.A. and DEC settings for a telescope for given dates and locations. Look for yourself.

[Larry381]

Bush and his pals at Halliburton lied about this hoax so they could profit from a secret deal to build an oil pipeline from Afganistan to Florida and thereby intimidate African Americans from voting in the November elections.

[Truth666]

Thanks for the link. No contradiction here with this part :
HOW - 2. "... but we already saw it "
The question is : who will be able to see it now ?

[Rebel_Ace]

"...And what location south from the 60° parallel in the Southern Hemisphere would you recommend me to go to?..."

Did you even bother to read the article you posted? Here are the relevant passages:

"At its closest on September 29..."
"...Soon thereafter, experienced backyard astronomers north of the equator will have a chance to find Toutatis..."
"...By early October, it will suddenly be re-emerging into northern skies as its apparent trajectory will bring it back into very favorable view..."

Looks like you don't have to go to the Southern Hemisphere.

[Turk82_1]

You know, I am trying to figure out WHAT you are saying is false. That we can't see the asteroid right now? Or that the asteroid is a new occurance? Dude - you are opaque.

[Rebel_Ace]

Here are some links of PUBLIC OBSERVATORIES and other institutions with published telescope settings for VIEWING your "HOAX". I don't know where you live, but if you continue searching in this vein for even a little bit, I'm willing to bet there is an observatory within striking distance of your location.

ARKANSAS SKY OBSERVATORY

NEAR EARTH OBJECTS DYNAMIC SITE

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

ASTRONOMY NOW

Are you just anti-science? It took me less than 5 minutes to pull these references up. There are more available, I just stopped at 4.

[Rebel_Ace]

Ooops! Typo. I stopped at 5.

[Rebel_Ace]

Also, this just in:

Molecules and Atoms are also difficult to see. Massive HOAX suspected...

[Truth666]

1. This
At its closest on September 29, Toutatis will be visible only to observers in the Southern Hemisphere.
SUGGESTS that millions in the Southern Hemisphere will be able to see it. What it fails to mention is that "it will be visible only south from 60° S". So it will be visible to some people in the Antarctic - if there are any there, provided that "they use a good program like Starry Night Pro to plot its incredibly rapid motion across the sky," ...

[Dave S]

Perhaps I missed it, what is the hoax and what is the truth? I dont think anyone but idiot kooks ever suggested that this thing had the slightest change of hitting the earth today.

Maybe its early but I havent a clue what point you were trying to make!

[Dave S]

SUGGESTS that millions in the Southern Hemisphere will be able to see it.

If they have a telescope and know where to point it. He never said they could see it with the human eye. You are as clear as mud. Im still guessing at what your point is.

[Truth666]

You should take time to read my reply to the end. Especially since I only reply with facts ...
One more time : "it will be visible only south from 60° S"