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Posted on 09/06/2010 4:49:27 PM PDT by TaraP
Within the space of less than an hour on September 5, the Mount Lemmon Survey discovered two objects which will both pass by the Earth on September 8 at a distance closer than the Moon! This unprecedented coincidence provides an exciting observing challenge for amateurs although those observing from the UK will not have the best views.
The intrinsically smaller object, 2010 RF12, will be the more favourable observing target in that it passes closest at about 0.21 lunar-distance, i.e. about 80,000 km.
Tonight from the UK (Sep 6/7) this object will be 17th magnitude but by tomorrow (Sep 7/8) it will be brightening rapidly from 16th to 15th magnitude and be accelerating from an apparent speed of about 30 "/min to 50 "/min.
It passes closest around 2100 UT on the 8th but by then it will be difficult from any location on the Earth.
The larger object, 2010 RX30, only approaches to within about 0.66 lunar-distances of the Earth but will be more favourably placed for UK observers and should be able to be followed to within about 6 hours of closest approach which takes place around 1000 UT on the 8th. It will be visible all night on Sep 7/8 being 16th magnitude at first but then brightening to 15th mag.
The problem however is its apparent speed in that it will be racing across the sky at between 2-5 ARCSEC/SEC.
Observers with access to telescopes located in other parts of the world especially in the southern hemisphere could witness 2010 RF12 reach 13th magnitude around 1600-1700 UT on the 8th.
As seen visually in a large telescope (30-cm aperture or more), its motion across the sky would be very apparent in real time.
Maybe. However, we have enough amateur astronomers with serious equipment who would probably spot it and spill the beans. If you start to see these guys suddenly disappearing or dying under suspicious circumstances look out. Also, watch the movements of the politicians.
Catastrophism ping
You might have an easier time seeing Pluto with a 3-inch refractor in Times Square!
My 6-inch reflector can barely make out Pluto (13th magnitude) on a good night. 15th magnitude? No way, no how.
I must say that looks just like Obama.
We won’t but the squirrels in charge will be just fine.
Russia, China and Canada cover most of the earth’s surface. We’re safe living in the Good Ole U.S.
for later
At 0.21 lunar distance won’t that significantly affect its trajectory???
I remember one credible study that said we get hit once every hundrd years or so by a Tanguska size object.
The dark ages were caused by one such collision, weren’t they?
The dark ages were a weird weird time...
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Rain of Iron and IceOn November 27,1919, a meteorite fell into Lake Michigan near the Michigan shore. "Residents of Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, South Bend, Grand Haven, and other Western Michigan cities fled from their homes in panic, fearing an earthquake. Houses were shaken, the country was illuminated as by a bright sun's rays, so all-enveloping it was impossible to tell from which direction the flare came, the earth trembled for half a moment and then came a deep prolonged rumbling as of a terrific explosion." (p 159)
by John S. Lewis
Thanks TaraP! That one is a tiny little thing, 8 meters across, size of a house...
But I thought some Australian sheep died from fallout. I read it on the internet so it must be true, LOL.
Hmmmmm. Wonder if the area has been studied/excavated etc. There should be lots of little meteorites present.
Hmmmmm. Wonder if the area has been studied/excavated etc. There should be lots of little meteorites present.
Can we change that to DC and Damascus?
Latest numbers i read say around 50 meters wide.
one hits Mecca .... is that crowd still hanging out there?
That would show em arse is blackest. Then again they’d read the SIGN wrong.
> Latest numbers i read say around 50 meters wide.
Correct -- the 1184m figure is the width of the crater, not of the meteoroid that caused it. That's not to minimize the object -- after all, it weighed around 300,000 tons! (Almost all of which vaporized either during descent or on impact.)
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