Category Archives: Astronomy

Astronomy

Asteroid 2012 DA14 passing by today

Asteroid 2012 DA14 is passing by earth today. It’s closest approach (17,200 km) will occur at 2:25 p.m. ET over the Indian Ocean. Alan Boyle provides some info on how to watch it pass:  Watch asteroid 2012 DA14 buzz past harmlessly, via streaming video – Cosmic Log

Observers in that area will be able to see it with binoculars or small telescopes. NASA JPL has a live webcast here of a telescope view: USTREAM – NASA Follows Asteroid Flyby.

Here’s another webcast: The Virtual Telescope Project 2.0: Virtual Telescope’s WebTV

This video from “Samford Valley Observatory in Brisbane, Australia, shows the progress of asteroid 2012 DA14 across the night sky as it nears its closest approach”:

Astronomy, General

Large scale meteor shower over Russia causes injuries and ground damage

A dramatic meteor shower took place over the Urals area of Russia today with large fireballs  and smoke tails seen in the sky and loud explosions heard. (See video below.) Sightings were reported in the cities of Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg and Tyumen. Widespread meteorite debris hitting the ground caused injuries to several hundred people  and damage to buildings (see second video below.)

http://youtu.be/QIMKQihoYRI

http://youtu.be/4IfS86pJ4uM

Update: It was  just a cosmic coincidence. The meteoroid that caused the shower came from a much different orbit than asteroid 2012 DA14 and so they are not related: Astronomers: Russia’s Meteorite Is Not Related To Today’s Near-Earth Asteroid Fly-By – Popular Science.

From reading the articles today, some definitions are in order. A meteoroid is the rock traveling in space, a meteor is the bright flashy trail as it streaks through the atmosphere. and a meteorite is a chunk of a meteoroid that made it to the ground without vaporizing.

Astronomy, Space Science

Colorful life on other planets

The colors of exoplanets may tell us if they possess life: Extreme life might be visible on colourful exoplanets – New Scientist

Astronomy, In Space Infrastructure

Animation of flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14

Here is an animation of the flyby of asteroid 2012 DA14. On February 15th,  the 45 meter diameter asteroid will pass just 27,700 kilometers (17,200 mi) above the Earth’s surface.

The simulation was made with NASA’s Eyes on the Solar System program by Adrian Wenz of BINARY SPACE.  It shows the flyby from the viewpoint of the asteroid and includes the positions of a number of satellites.

Astronomy

Five amateur astronomers honored for comet finding

Sky and Telescope reports on five amateur astronomers being recognized for their comet discoveries: Five Amateurs Share Edgar Wilson Award: Discovering a comet remains one of amateur astronomy’s greatest accomplishments, and five individuals are being honored for doing just that. – SkyandTelescope.com

Recently five amateurs were honored with the 2012 Edgar Wilson Award. Established in 1998, this award goes to those dedicated observers lucky enough to spot a comet using amateur-grade equipment. Below is the list of winners:

  • Leonid Elenin of Russia, who spotted comet P/2011 NO1 on July 7, 2011
  • Artyom Novichonok and Vladimir Gerke of Russia, co-discoverers of comet P/2011 R3 on September 7, 2011
  • Terry Lovejoy of Australia, for his discovery of comet C/2011 W3 on November 27, 2011
  • Fred Bruenjes of Warrenburg, Missouri, for his discovery of comet C/2012 C2 on February 11, 2012