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Contents  on 19 May '07

• Minor-Object News -- seven items
• Minor-Object Science -- none today
• IAU Minor Planet Center
  • NEOCP Activity -- two listings: 1 new, 1 updated
  • New MPECs -- four MPECs
  • Observers -- 24 observing facilities
• Impact Risk Monitoring -- one object reported
• Chronology

WELCOME to A/CC's prototype daily news publication designed to be the viewing end of a planned autonomous 24-hour news service. The new tools and this publication format are working well enough now to share with readers. It is expected that this approach will require less time to maintain than our previous news and small asteroid pages, which were retired on May 14th. There's still more development ahead and there probably will be some glitches along the way, but this is what's needed to keep up with the increasing pace of minor-object news. The CRT page will be maintained separately for a little while longer, until all of this is working smoothly. And the CRT and small-asteroid ephemerides will be kept going.

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Minor-Object News  on 19 May '07

• "Expendable Launch Vehicle Status Report," NASA/KSC 18 May - Quote: "Next week, the two spacecraft solar arrays ... will be attached to the Dawn spacecraft and undergo deployment testing. A solar array lighting test also will be performed before the arrays are stowed for flight... The spacecraft will be moved to Astrotech's Hazardous Processing Facility for fueling on May 26. The Delta II first stage will be hoisted into the launcher at Pad 17-B on May 23 and attachment of the nine solid rocket boosters will begin."
• "Streator honors its planetary pioneer," Peoria, Ill. Journal Star 19 May - Quote: "The Streator Township High School auditorium was packed Friday as the town kicked off the first Planet Pluto Expo."
  • "P2E speaker: 'You can grow up to be what you want'," Ottawa, Ill. Times 19 May - Quote: "[Alan] Stern, recently named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people, was responsible for spearheading the design and implementation of the probe that now is headed for Pluto -- carrying some of Tombaugh's ashes."
• "CU-Boulder To Partner With Cornell, Cal Tech On $100 Million Telescope In Chilean Desert," Univ. of Colorado at Boulder 17 May - Quote: "Newly forming stars and solar systems are surrounded by gas and dust, which block the escape of visible light but which radiate at [submillimeter] wavelengths."
  • CCAT: See the Cornell Caltech Atacama Telescope Web site for more info. A page there on Solar System science explains that the telescope will allow "the detection of KBOs to sizes of order 100 km, making possibles a statistical investigation of both the size distribution and surface properties of those objects." And a page on Star Formation and Circumstellar Disks tells how "The majority of pre-Main-Sequence stars of low mass [less than three Solar masses] are thought to have circumstellar disks of gas and dust. These are the precursors of planetary systems [and] a key observational component for the study of the physics of these structures [will be] best observed in the submm regime."
• "Baby Stars Hatching in Orion's Head," Spitzer Space Telescope 17 May - Quote: "A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars "hatching" in the head of Orion... The region featured in the Spitzer image is called Barnard 30."
• SOFIA eNewsletter: The observatory's May 2nd newsletter to scientists reports that, "After completion of a few more test flights in Waco [Texas], SOFIA will be flown to DFRC at Edwards Air Force Base in California, probably in late May. There it is scheduled to undergo an extensive inspection before beginning further test flights in September."

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Minor-Object Science  on 19 May '07

No science papers were available or prepared today.

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NEOCP Activity  on 19 May '07

The MPC's NEO Confirmation Page has 2 listings: 1 new, 1 updated

When last checked at 2351 UTC today, the Minor Planet Center's NEO discovery Confirmation Page (NEOCP) had one new and one updated listing. Of these, one was a "one nighter." Major News counted a total of six objects listed on the NEOCP at some point on this day.

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New MPECs  on 19 May '07

Minor Planet Electronic Circulars

There were four MPECs issued this day from the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• MPEC 2007-K22 time-stamped "06:07 UT" - Daily Orbit Update - see below
• MPEC 2007-K23 time-stamped "14:12 UT" - Comet C/2006 S2 (LINEAR) - see below
• MPEC 2007-K24 time-stamped "19:28 UT" - 2003 WG - see below
• MPEC 2007-K25 time-stamped "22:54 UT" - 2007 KD2

MPEC 2007-K25 - "22:54 UT" - 2007 KD2

• K07K02D   2007 KD2 (small asteroid, Q=4.526 AU, H=23.5 ~68m) was discovered at 0546 UT 18 May by the Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS), which observed it at May 18.24-29p8. The discovery was confirmed by Gaisberg Obs. (May 18.00-01p2), Farpoint Obs. (May 19.13-16p3), Astronomical Research Obs. (ARO) (May 19.21-23p3), Jim Young via Table Mtn. Obs. (May 19.27-29p4), the Spacewatch 1.8m telescope (May 19.27-28p3), and KLENOT (May 19.90-91p5).

MPEC 2007-K24 - "19:28 UT" - 2003 WG

• K03W00G   2003 WG (Q=4.351 AU, H=19.1 ~513m) from Spacewatch 1.8m (May 18.21-23p3 & 19.22-24p3)

MPEC 2007-K23 - "14:12 UT" - Comet C/2006 S2 (LINEAR)

• CK06S020   C/2006 S2 (LINEAR) (i=99.0°, q=3.161 AU, TP=2007 May 7.36759 TT) from Jarnac Obs. (May 11.47-49p2) and Farpoint Obs. (May 19.39-40p6)

<< DOU on 19 May '07 >>  MPEC 2007-K22 - "06:07 UT" - Daily Orbit Update

• Observations of risk-listed objects
• K07J20Z   2007 JZ20 (i=41.1°, arc=8 days, H=18.3 ~741m) from Powell Obs. (May 18.15p5), Petit Jean Mtn. South Obs. (PJMSO) (May 18.37-38p7), Guidestar Obs. (May 18.87-89p3), Consell Obs. (May 19.01-02p6), and Suno Obs. (May 19.07-08p3)
• Observations of small asteroids (H>22.0)
• K07K00E   2007 KE (arc=3 days, H=22.5 ~107m) from Powell Obs. (May 18.28-29p5) and Guidestar Obs. (May 18.90-92p3)
• K07J21B   2007 JB21 (arc=7 days, H=25.4 ~28m) from Great Shefford Obs. (May 18.94-96p3)
• K07J16G   2007 JG16 (arc=7 days, H=23.8 ~59m) from Powell Obs. (May 18.23-25p4)
• Observations of almost-small asteroids (21.7<H<=22.0)
• K07J02Y   2007 JY2 (arc=10 days, H=21.8 ~148m) from Consell Obs. (May 18.95-96p5)
• Observations of other objects
• K07K00J   2007 KJ (arc=2 days, H=19.0 ~537m) from ARO (May 18.20p3)
• K07J40E   2007 JE40 (arc=3 days, H=20.2 ~309m) from ARO (May 18.23p3)
• K07J35J   2007 JJ35 (i=56.1°, arc=4 days, H=18.4 ~708m) from Young/Table Mtn. (May 18.19-20p4), PJMSO (May 18.26p9), Eschenberg Obs. (May 18.85p7), and Drebach Obs. (May 18.85-86p7)
• K07J22H   2007 JH22 (arc=7 days, H=21.7 ~155m) from Powell Obs. (May 18.30-31p4), Eschenberg Obs. (May 18.89-90p3), Guidestar Obs. (May 18.97-99p3), and Drebach Obs. (May 19.03-04p5)
• K07J02X   2007 JX2 (arc=10 days, H=19.4 ~446m) from Spacewatch 1.8m (May 18.25p3) and Eschenberg Obs. (May 18.86-87p3)
• K07H70D   2007 HD70 (arc=23 days, H=21.2 ~195m) from ARO (May 18.31p2)
• K07H03W   2007 HW3 (Q=4.275 AU, arc=31 days, H=20.5 ~269m) from Consell Obs. (May 18.92-93p4)
• K07H00B   2007 HB (arc=32 days, H=19.7 ~389m) from PJMSO (May 18.31-32p5)
• K07F42V   2007 FV42 (arc=60 days, H=17.8 ~933m) from New Millennium Obs. (May 18.01-06p7), Greiner Research Obs. (May 18.36-37p10), PJMSO (May 18.38p6), and Drebach Obs. (May 18.98-99p4)
• K07F01K   2007 FK1 (arc=63 days, H=20.2 ~309m) from New Millennium Obs. (May 17.93-99p11), Greiner Research Obs. (May 18.34-35p10), PJMSO (May 18.39p8), and Drebach Obs. (May 19.02p5)
• K07DA3T   2007 DT103 (arc=80 days, H=19.4 ~446m) from program code 1 via Chuguevskaya Sta. (May 16.82-86p9)
• K07D83B   2007 DB83 (arc=3 opp, H=18.3 ~741m) from Drebach Obs. (May 18.86-87p5)
• K07D40Z   2007 DZ40 (Q=4.841 AU, arc=86 days, H=18.5 ~676m) from Naef Obs. (May 18.96-00p5)
• K06Y00D   2006 YD (Q=4.443 AU, arc=153 days, H=17.5 ~1.07 km) from Mt. John Obs. (May 18.68-70p5)
• K06V00C   2006 VC (arc=198 days, H=20.0 ~339m) from ARO (May 18.11-14p3 at V=22.1-2)
• K06K89E   2006 KE89 (i=45.1°, q=0.211 AU, arc=3 opp, H=16.5 ~1.70 km) from PJMSO (May 18.42p5)
• K06G00B   2006 GB (arc=2 opp, H=20.4 ~282m) from PJMSO (May 18.41p5), Naef Obs. (May 18.93-95p4), and Drebach Obs. (May 19.04-05p3)
• K06F00K   2006 FK (arc=2 opp, H=21.3 ~186m) from Mt. John Obs. (May 18.73-75p5)
• K05M00D   2005 MD (arc=3 opp, H=18.8 ~589m) from ARO (May 18.15-16p2 at V=22.6)
• K05L03R   2005 LR3 (arc=3 opp, H=17.2 ~1.23 km) from PJMSO (May 18.32-33p5)
• K05A13D   2005 AD13 (arc=2 opp, H=17.9 ~891m) from PJMSO (May 18.39-40p5) and Drebach Obs. (May 18.99-00p3)
• K04X44N   2004 XN44 (arc=2 days, H=18.8 ~589m) from Mauna Kea (2004 Dec. 13.25-26p3 discovery & 2004 Dec. 14.22-27p11) and David Tholen's team on Mauna Kea (2004 Dec. 15.20-21p3 at R=22.1)
• K04X14O   2004 XO14 (Q=4.156 AU, arc=3 opp, H=16.1 ~2.04 km, q=1.185 AU) from ARO (May 18.27-29p3 at V=22.4-7)
• K04L00G   2004 LG (i=71.0°, q=0.212 AU, arc=2 opp, H=18.0 ~851m) from ARO (May 18.30-31p3)
• K04F31X   2004 FX31 (arc=4 opp, H=17.5 ~1.07 km) from ARO (May 18.29p3)
• K03H00B   2003 HB (arc=2 opp, H=19.7 ~389m) from Greiner Research Obs. (May 18.38-39p8)
• K02K04F   2002 KF4 (i=37.2°, Q=4.571 AU, arc=3 opp, H=17.3 ~1.17 km) from PJMSO (May 18.33-34p5) and Gelenau Obs. (May 18.95-96p3)
• K01TA3O   2001 TO103 (arc=4 opp, H=17.0 ~1.35 km) from ARO (May 18.09-10p3)
• K00K43W   2000 KW43 (arc=2 opp, H=20.0 ~339m) from PJMSO (May 18.36p5) and Eschenberg Obs. (May 18.88p3)
• K00K00B   2000 KB (i=56.0°, Q=4.205 AU, arc=5 opp, H=16.2 ~1.95 km) from PJMSO (May 18.29-30p6) and the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) (May 18.35-36p4)
• J98U01L   1998 UL1 (i=42.0°, arc=5 opp, H=16.6 ~1.62 km) from Eschenberg Obs. (May 18.84p2) and Drebach Obs. (May 18.84-85p5)
• F4453   154453 2003 CJ11 from New Millennium Obs. (May 17.85-89p10)
• E5656   145656 4788 P-L from New Millennium Obs. (May 17.86-92p9), PJMSO (May 18.25p5), and Gelenau Obs. (May 18.87-88p4)
• 86829   86829 2000 GR146 from New Millennium Obs. (May 17.92-99p11) and PJMSO (May 18.34p5)
• 85275   85275 1994 LY from New Millennium Obs. (May 18.02-04p5)
• 40267   40267 1999 GJ4 from New Millennium Obs. (May 17.85-91p10) and CSS (May 18.31-33p4)
• 26166   26166 1995 QN3 from CSS (May 17.43-45p4)

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Observers  on 19 May '07

A total of 24 observing facilities appeared in this day's MPECs.

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Impact Risk Monitoring  on 19 May '07

Legend: VI# = VI count, Prob Cum = cumulative probability, PS Cum/Max = cumulative/maximum Palermo Scale, TS = Torino Scale

For a list of all risk-rated objects recently in view, see our ephemerides page.

An impact solution, also known as a "virtual impactor" (VI), is not a prediction but rather a possibility derived from an orbit calculation that cannot be eliminated yet based on the existing data. Elimination can come quickly with just a little further observation or may take weeks or months, sometimes years. Once superceded or eliminated, a former impact solution has zero relevance to an object's risk. See Jon Giorgini's "Understanding Risk Pages" for more about all this.

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Chronology  on 19 May '07

Times are UTC for when the items were noted by Major News.