26 May '07 Major News

Contents on 26 May '07

Minor-Object News -- two items
Minor-Object Science -- one paper
IAU Minor Planet Center
- NEOCP Activity -- two listings: 1 new, 1 updated
- New MPECs -- four MPECs
- Observers -- eighteen observing facilities
Impact Risk Monitoring -- two objects 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.

Minor-Object News on 26 May '07

Precoveries: (updated) In the MPECs yesterday it was reported that Rob Matson had found 2007 FD in the archives from the Siding Spring (Australia) Digital Sky Survey from 13 August 1982 and from NEAT's U.S. Air Force telescope on Haleakala in Hawaii on 24 February and 20 and 29 March of 2001. This kilometer-size object was listed from 17 March until 18 April this year as an impact risk.
An MPEC today (see below) publishes "precovery" astrometry for a more recently discovered and also rather large potentially hazardous object. Matson found 2007 HX4 in the archives from NEAT's first and second USAF telescopes on Haleakala from 22 and 26 April 1998 and 20 May 2001. This object last month was very briefly posted as an impact risk.
"'Our eyes hurt from the light'," Edmonton Sun 25 May - Quote: "The light was so bright it was reported in Saskatoon, almost 500 km from our city [around 1am]... To produce a 'once in a lifetime' spectacle like Friday's, a meteor would have to be about the size of a soccer ball, [Alan Hildebrand] said."

Minor-Object Science on 26 May '07

"Martian Dunite NWA 2737: Petrographic constraints on geological history, shock events, and olivine color" by Treiman, Allan H. with M. Darby Dyar, Molly McCanta, Sarah K. Noble & Carle M. Pieters, PDF from Carle M. Pieters 2007 - Quote: "Meteorite Northwest Africa (NWA) 2737 is the second known chassignite, an olivine-rich igneous rock with mineral compositions and isotopic ratios that suggest it formed on Mars."

NEOCP Activity on 26 May '07

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

When last checked at 2357 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 seven objects listed on the NEOCP at some point on this day.

New MPECs on 26 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-K55 time-stamped "06:09 UT" - Daily Orbit Update - see below
MPEC 2007-K56 time-stamped "16:55 UT" - Comet C/2007 K3 (Siding Spring) - see below
MPEC 2007-K57 time-stamped "17:01 UT" - Comet C/2007 K4 (Gibbs) - see below
MPEC 2007-K58 time-stamped "21:07 UT" - 2007 HX4

MPEC 2007-K58 - "21:07 UT" - 2007 HX4

K07H04X 2007 HX4 (i=56.6°, H=17.8 ~933m) from NEAT's GEODSS Haleakala telescope (1998 April 22.61-62p2 & 1998 April 26.44-48p3) and NEAT's USAF Haleakala telescope (2001 May 20.34-36p3)

MPEC 2007-K57 - "17:01 UT" - Comet C/2007 K4 (Gibbs)

CK07K040 C/2007 K4 (Gibbs) (i=93.4°, q=2.855 AU, TP=2007 Nov. 12.567 TT) from the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) (May 25.32-35p4, 25.44-46p4 & 26.33-34p2), the Siding Spring Survey (SSS) (May 25.65p2), Farra d'Isonzo Obs. (May 25.86-87p2), Guidestar Obs. (May 25.95-97p2), Modra Obs. (May 26.04-05p3), the Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) (May 26.35-36p4), and Sandlot Obs. (May 26.38-40p2)

MPEC 2007-K56 - "16:55 UT" - Comet C/2007 K3 (Siding Spring)

CK07K030 C/2007 K3 (Siding Spring) (i=16.3°, q=2.051 AU, TP=2008 Apr. 21.735 TT) from SSS (April 18.60-62p4, May 23.43-47p3, 23.52-56p3, 24.47p1, 24.56-57p2, 25.35p1 & 25.48-49p2), Great Shefford Obs. (May 24.92-93p2), and MLS (May 25.22-23p4 & 26.15-17p4)

<< DOU on 26 May '07 >> MPEC 2007-K55 - "06:09 UT" - Daily Orbit Update

Observations of risk-listed objects
K07K04E 2007 KE4 (small asteroid, arc=2 days, H=25.2 ~31m) from McCarthy Obs. (May 25.14-17p3) and Guidestar Obs. (May 25.92-94p3)
Observations of small asteroids (H>22.0)
K07K02V 2007 KV2 (arc=4 days, H=24.7 ~39m) from the Spacewatch 1.8m telescope (May 25.19p2)
K07K00K 2007 KK (arc=9 days, H=23.5 ~68m) from Spacewatch 1.8m (May 25.22-24p3)
Observations of other objects
K07J40E 2007 JE40 (arc=10 days, H=20.1 ~323m) from Jim Young via Table Mtn. Obs. (May 25.31-34p4)
K07J02Y 2007 JY2 (arc=16 days, H=21.7 ~155m) from Spacewatch 1.8m (May 25.20-22p3)
K07F42V 2007 FV42 (arc=66 days, H=17.8 ~933m) from New Millennium Obs. (May 24.00-03p4)
K07F01K 2007 FK1 (arc=69 days, H=20.2 ~309m) from New Millennium Obs. (May 25.01p1)
K07D84S 2007 DS84 (arc=87 days, H=20.8 ~234m) from SSS (May 25.67-70p4)
K07D40Z 2007 DZ40 (Q=4.841 AU, arc=92 days, H=18.5 ~676m) from LINEAR (May 25.32-36p4)
K06WC9E 2006 WE129 (i=39.5°, arc=179 days, H=19.7 ~389m) from McCarthy Obs. (May 25.08-11p3)
K06K89E 2006 KE89 (i=45.1°, q=0.211 AU, arc=3 opp, H=16.5 ~1.70 km) from New Millennium Obs. (May 24.99-02p5)
K05A13D 2005 AD13 (arc=2 opp, H=17.9 ~891m) from New Millennium Obs. (May 24.00-03p5)
K02K04F 2002 KF4 (i=37.2°, Q=4.571 AU, arc=3 opp, H=17.2 ~1.23 km) from Madonna di Dossobuono Obs. (May 17.90-91p3 & 20.91p3), New Millennium Obs. (May 24.87-94p12), LINEAR (May 25.24-28p5), and Masquefa Obs. (May 25.98p3)
K02A02C 2002 AC2 (i=58.9°, arc=4 opp, H=16.5 ~1.70 km) from LINEAR (May 25.37-39p4)
K00K43W 2000 KW43 (arc=2 opp, H=20.0 ~339m) from CSS (May 25.36-38p4)
E5656 145656 4788 P-L from Le Couvent de Lentin Obs. (May 24.85-91p4) and CSS (May 25.24-27p4)
D8883 138883 2000 YL29 from LINEAR (May 25.20-23p4)
D6874 136874 1998 FH74 from New Millennium Obs. (May 24.99p3)
86829 86829 2000 GR146 from Le Couvent de Lentin Obs. (May 24.88-91p3)
85275 85275 1994 LY from New Millennium Obs. (May 25.01-02p2)
39796 39796 1997 TD from New Millennium Obs. (May 24.86-93p11)
08037 8037 1993 HO1 from SSS (May 25.57-59p4)
07889 7889 1994 LX from SSS (May 25.75-78p4)

Observers on 26 May '07

Eighteen observing facilities appeared in this day's MPECs.

`703`	Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, 3 in MPECs 2007-K55 & 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4, 2000 KW43, 145656
`595`	Farra d'Isonzo Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4
`J95`	Great Shefford Obs. in England, 1 in MPEC 2007-K56 -- C/2007 K3
`A17`	Guidestar Obs. in Germany, 2 in MPECs 2007-K55 & 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4, 2007 KE4
`704`	LINEAR in New Mexico, 4 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2007 DZ40, 2002 KF4, 2002 AC2, 138883
`A65`	Le Couvent de Lentin Obs. in France, 2 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 145656, 86829
`560`	Madonna di Dossobuono Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2002 KF4
`232`	Masquefa Obs. in Spain, 1 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2002 KF4
`932`	McCarthy Obs. in Connecticut, 2 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2007 KE4, 2006 WE129
`118`	Modra Obs. in Slovakia, 1 in MPEC 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4
`G96`	Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona, 2 in MPECs 2007-K56 & 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4, C/2007 K3
`566`	NEAT's GEODSS Haleakala telescope in Hawaii, 1 in MPEC 2007-K58 -- 2007 HX4
`608`	NEAT's USAF Haleakala telescope in Hawaii, 1 in MPEC 2007-K58 -- 2007 HX4
`A24`	New Millennium Obs. in Italy, 8 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2007 FV42, 2007 FK1, 2006 KE89, 2005 AD13, 2002 KF4, 136874, 85275, 39796
`H36`	Sandlot Obs. in Kansas, 1 in MPEC 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4
`E12`	Siding Spring Survey in New South Wales, 5 in MPECs 2007-K55, 2007-K56 & 2007-K57 -- C/2007 K4, C/2007 K3, 2007 DS84, 8037, 7889
`291`	Spacewatch 1.8m telescope in Arizona, 3 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2007 KV2, 2007 KK, 2007 JY2
`6735`	Jim Young via Table Mtn. Obs. in southern California, 1 in MPEC 2007-K55 -- 2007 JE40

Impact Risk Monitoring on 26 May '07

**Summary Risk Table for Risk Assessments Updated Today** (last checks: NEODyS and JPL at 2357 UTC)
Note that the time horizon for JPL is 100 years from today and for NEODyS is usually the year 2080.
For the latest official risk assessments, see the JPL NEO Program Sentry and NEODyS CLOMON (backup) risk pages.
0000NNN000 Object	Risk Monitor	When Noted UTC	0000T0000 Year Range	VI #	000NN00 Prob Cum	T0000 PS Cum	T0000 PS Max	T S	Notes for Today's Latest Risk Assessments

2007 KO4	NEODyS	1819	2015-2080	63	1.92e-06	-4.44	-4.63	0	NEODyS: "Based on 14 optical observations (of which 0 are rejected as outliers) from 2007/05/22.266 to 2007/05/25.272."

2007 KE4	NEODyS	1659	2029	1	1.63e-05	-4.57	-4.57	0	NEODyS: "Based on 31 optical observations (of which 0 are rejected as outliers) from 2007/05/24.328 to 2007/05/25.937."
2007 KE4	JPL	1409	2026-2096	4	2.3e-05	-4.52	-4.55	0	JPL: "Analysis based on 31 observations spanning 1.6090 days (2007-May-24.32711 to 2007-May-25.93615)." Diameter approximately 0.031 km. from mean, weighted H=25.2.

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.

Chronology on 26 May '07

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

2136	Grabbed MPEC 2007-K58 - 2007 HX4 - see above
1953	Added MOS paper, "Martian Dunite NWA 2737: Petrographic constraints on geological history, shock events, and olivine color" - see above Added news report, "Precoveries"
1819	Noted that NEODyS has posted 2007 KO4 as an impact risk - see above Grabbed MPEC 2007-K57 - Comet C/2007 K4 (Gibbs) - see above
1659	Noted that NEODyS has updated its 2007 KE4 risk assessment - see above Grabbed MPEC 2007-K56 - Comet C/2007 K3 (Siding Spring) - see above
1411	Added link to news story, "'Our eyes hurt from the light'"
1409	Noted that JPL has updated its 2007 KE4 risk assessment - see above Grabbed MPEC 2007-K55 - Daily Orbit Update - see above

http://www.HohmannTransfer.com/mn/07/07146_0526.htm
Publisher information, privacy statement, and disclaimer.
This page is © Copyright 2007 Columbine, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
Any mentioned trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Various tabular formats and data used on this page are acknowledged as belonging to JPL, MPC, NEODyS, and/or others.
Do NOT copy, mirror, or embed this page, but you are welcome to link to it, and you may embed the RSS news feed. All information here is subject to very frequent change during the day of news compilation. Individuals may make copies for their own private, non-commercial use. Please report broken links or other problems with this page to <webmaster@hohmanntransfer.com> (HTML 4.01 validation).
Important updates to Major News About Minor Objects are flagged by RSS news feed (link)