The SOFIA airborne observatory on its its second test flight on May 10th. The telescope door, which hasn't been opened in flight yet, is in the slight bulge seen on the aircraft's left side between wing and tail. The fourth flight, on May 31st, was to transfer from where SOFIA had been outfitted in Texas to its new home in southern California. Credit: NASA/Jim Ross.
Contents on 6 July '07
- Minor-Object News -- seven items
- Minor-Object Science -- one paper
- IAU Minor Planet Center
- NEOCP Activity -- two listings: 1 new, 1 updated
- New MPECs -- five MPECs
- Observers -- 32 observing facilities
- Impact Risk Monitoring -- nothing to report
- Chronology
Resources:
- Consolidated Risk Tables - CRT page
- Ephemerides for risk-rated objects
- Ephemerides for small asteroids
Navigation tips: Use the << and >> arrows on the menus for each regular section (Observers, Risks, etc.) to move to the previous and next day's news for that section. Use the Index menu item to access specific days this year with a calendar interface. And use the all-up news archive to access news anytime since A/CC began in early 2002. To keep track of what's new each day, watch the Chronology section.
Minor-Object News on 6 July '07
- "Dawn Launch Moves to No Earlier Than Monday July 9," NASA KSC 6 July - Note: The Dawn mission home page summarizes this news as "The Dawn spacecraft launch has been postponed until no earlier than Monday, July 9. The launch window for Dawn on Monday will be 3:56 p.m. to 4:26 p.m. [EDT]. The delay was prompted by difficulties with an aircraft that would gather data signals from the rocket during launch, and the availability of a tracking ship. Also, the weather forecast at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station raised concerns that a critical fuel loading operation would not be able to be completed Friday."
- "Dawn Delta Launch Report," SpaceflightNow.com 6 July - Quote: "Launch has been pushed back to Monday... A NASA spokesperson says this delay ... was caused by a problem with the downrange tracking aircraft needed to support telemetry relay during the launch." - Note: This page will update through the entire launch sequence.
- "Woman makes safe launches her mission," Florida Today 6 July - Quote: "A tightly knit team of engineers aims to fuel up a Delta 2 rocket this weekend and loft a NASA spacecraft to the asteroid belt. With countdown clocks ticking, they will march crisply through a detailed script... The author? Merritt Island grandmother Rosie Carver, 60, a steely-eyed missile worker with 42 years experience at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station."
- "SOFIA Observatory Debuts at NASA-Dryden," SETI Institute at Space.com 5 July - Quote: "Astrobiologists are pursuing the question of how much of the organic substances in Earth's biosphere were home-made, so to speak, or were created in space before the Earth formed and were somehow delivered to Earth's surface later. SOFIA's capabilities will make it perfect for providing data to scientists researching this fascinating topic, among many others."
- "A Telescope Takes Flight," IEEE Spectrum 5 July - Quote: "[They] built a kind of dumbbell structure that keeps the center of gravity in the very middle. On one side are the cabin area, counterweights, and observation instruments, pressurized and warm, and on the other is the telescope, chilled to stratospheric temperatures, with no infrared leakage from inside the aircraft... The science instruments and counterweights balance the telescope, and the result is an apparatus that can be aimed and kept still, mostly on account of its own inertia."
- "Court rules German amateur astronomer can keep meteorite found in Austria," AP at Intl. Herald Tribune 6 July - Quote: "Karl Wimmer, a physicist from Bavaria, found the 2.84-kilogram (6.26-pound) fragment ... of the meteorite, which plunged into the atmosphere in April 2002. The council in Reutte, Austria, argued that the piece was its property and sued for the return of the fragment -- known as 'Neuschwanstein 3'... Presiding judge Franz Woerz concluded that 'there is no earthly right to heavenly property.'"
- "Meteorite hunters square off over donations," Kiowa County Signal 5 July - Quote: "Efforts by a group of prominent meteorite hunters and collectors to present nearly $6,000 in cash and hold a raffle Saturday at Haviland's second annual Meteorite Festival to benefit victims of the May 4 Greensburg tornado have fallen apart in recent days."
Minor-Object Science on 6 July '07
- "Herbig-Haro Objects -- Tracers of the Formation of Low-mass Stars and Sub-stellar Objects" by Stecklum, Bringfried with Helmut Meusinger & Dirk Froebrich, abstract & PDF at arXiv.org 6 July - Quote: "Herbig-Haro objects (HHOs) are caused by outflows from young objects. Since the outflow relies on mass accretion from a circumstellar disk, it indicates ongoing growth. Recent results of infrared observations yielded evidence for disks around brown dwarfs. This suggests that at least a certain fraction of brown dwarfs forms like stars. Thus, young sub-stellar objects might cause HHOs as well."
NEOCP Activity on 6 July '07
The MPC's NEO Confirmation Page has 2 listings: 1 new, 1 updated
When last checked at 2356 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."
New MPECs on 6 July '07
Minor Planet Electronic Circulars
As of last check at 2356 UTC, there have been five MPECs issued today from the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- MPEC 2007-N15 time-stamped "06:06 UT" - Daily Orbit Update - see below
- MPEC 2007-N16 time-stamped "14:16 UT" - Comet C/2007 M1 (McNaught) - see below
- MPEC 2007-N17 time-stamped "14:21 UT" - Comet C/2007 M2 (Catalina) - see below
- MPEC 2007-N18 time-stamped "14:26 UT" - Comet C/2007 M3 (LINEAR) - see below
- MPEC 2007-N19 time-stamped "14:33 UT" - Observations of Comets
MPEC 2007-N19 - "14:33 UT" - Observations of Comets
- CK07G010 C/2007 G1 (LINEAR) from Montcabre Obs. (June 29.90p3), Nazaret Obs. (June 30.95p2), Murcia Obs. (July 3.93p3), and New Millennium Obs. (July 4.91-99p11)
- CK07E020 C/2007 E2 (Lovejoy) from Masquefa Obs. (June 29.00-01p3), Montcabre Obs. (June 30.90p3), and Los Altos de Arguineguin Obs. (July 5.90-91p3)
- CK06V13Z C/2006 VZ13 (LINEAR) from Vega del Thader Obs. (June 24.95-96p4), the Lulin Sky Survey (LUSS) (June 29.68-70p8, 30.67-84p20, July 2.64-68p5 & 2.75-83p10), Ageo Obs. (June 29.76p3), Rodeno Obs. (June 29.96p3 & 30.98p3), Nazaret Obs. (June 30.03-04p3), Masquefa Obs. (June 30.10p3), Montcabre Obs. (June 30.92-93p3, July 2.88p3 & 5.87-89p3), Gualba Obs. (July 2.10p4), Santa Pola Obs. (July 2.91p3), Guadarrama Obs. (July 2.95p3), La Puebla de Vallbona Obs. (Vallbona Obs.) (July 4.87-88p3), Carmelita Obs. (July 4.90p3 & 5.88p3), Szamotuly-Galowo Obs. (July 4.91p4), New Millennium Obs. (July 5.05-07p4), Atlante Obs. (July 5.06-08p2), Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (July 5.65-66p4), and Monte Deva Obs. (July 6.03-04p5)
- CK06S020 C/2006 S2 (LINEAR) from the Catalina Sky Survey (CSS) (June 25.40-43p3 & July 5.39-41p4)
- CK05S040 C/2005 S4 (McNaught) from Montcabre Obs. (June 24.07-08p3), Vega del Thader Obs. (June 28.97-98p3), New Millennium Obs. (July 5.04p2), Atlante Obs. (July 5.09p1), and Cordell-Lorenz Obs. (July 5.24p1, 5.30p1 & 5.36p1)
- CK05L030 C/2005 L3 (McNaught) from Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (June 23.57-58p3 & July 5.63-64p4), Vega del Thader Obs. (June 28.92p5 & July 1.87-89p5), Rodeno Obs. (June 29.92-94p3 & 30.96-97p3), Masquefa Obs. (June 30.07p3), Montcabre Obs. (July 2.87p3), Santa Pola Obs. (July 2.91-92p3), Nazaret Obs. (July 3.89p1 & 3.94-95p2), Murcia Obs. (July 3.92-93p3), Posadas Obs. (July 4.94-96p3), and Kambah Obs. (July 5.54-55p2)
- 0185 185P/Petriew from Ageo Obs. (Feb. 12.38p2 & April 29.44p3)
- 0096 96P/Machholz 1 from Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (June 20.63-64p5), Vega del Thader Obs. (June 28.90p1), Masquefa Obs. (June 30.05-06p3), Montcabre Obs. (July 2.86p3), Santa Pola Obs. (July 2.93p3), Chante-Perdrix Obs. (July 2.93-95p3), Murcia Obs. (July 3.91-92p3), Posadas Obs. (July 4.90-91p3), and Kambah Obs. (July 5.51p2)
- 0044 44P/Reinmuth 2 from RAS Obs. Mayhill (June 18.32-33p2 & 19.32-33p2) and Kambah Obs. (July 5.52-53p2)
- 0002 2P/Encke from Kambah Obs. (June 23.61p2 & July 5.67p2)
MPEC 2007-N18 - "14:26 UT" - Comet C/2007 M3 (LINEAR)
- CK07M030 C/2007 M3 (LINEAR) (i=161.8°, q=3.473 AU, TP=2007 Sept. 4.376 TT) from Vega del Thader Obs. (June 28.96p3 & July 1.91-92p4), Ageo Obs. (June 29.65p1 & 29.71p1), Montcabre Obs. (June 30.97-99p3), Nazaret Obs. (June 30.98-99p4), Table Mtn. Obs. (July 3.30-32p3 & 4.32-33p2), Cordell-Lorenz Obs. (July 4.14p1, 4.28-30p2, 5.14-18p3 & 5.23p1), New Millennium Obs. (July 4.94-00p7), Suno Obs. (July 5.89-90p2), and Atlante Obs. (July 5.97p1)
MPEC 2007-N17 - "14:21 UT" - Comet C/2007 M2 (Catalina)
- CK07M020 C/2007 M2 (Catalina) (i=80.9°, q=3.512 AU, TP=2008 Dec. 8.228 TT) from the Mt. Lemmon Survey (MLS) (July 3.17-19p4) and Cordell-Lorenz Obs. (July 5.13-16p4)
MPEC 2007-N16 - "14:16 UT" - Comet C/2007 M1 (McNaught)
- CK07M010 C/2007 M1 (McNaught) (i=139.8°, q=7.445 AU, TP=2008 Aug. 21.328 TT) from Cordell-Lorenz Obs. (July 4.30-33p2, 5.23p1, 5.28p1 & 5.33p1)
<< DOU on 6 July '07 >> MPEC 2007-N15 - "06:06 UT" - Daily Orbit Update
- K07M24B 2007 MB24 (i=47.7°, arc=11 days, H=18.5 ~676m) from New Millennium Obs. (July 5.05-07p3)
- K07M20T 2007 MT20 (arc=11 days, H=18.5 ~676m) from New Millennium Obs. (July 4.94-02p12)
- K07M13L 2007 ML13 (arc=14 days, H=20.1 ~323m) from Vallemare di Borbona Obs. (July 5.88-89p3)
- K07M04B 2007 MB4 from Peschiera del Garda Obs. (June 26.90-91p3 & July 4.98-99p8)
- K07L08V 2007 LV8 (arc=24 days, H=20.0 ~339m) from Vallemare di Borbona Obs. (July 5.86-87p4)
- K07D40Z 2007 DZ40 (Q=4.841 AU, arc=134 days, H=18.5 ~676m) from Remanzacco Obs. (July 5.89p4)
- K05N44W 2005 NW44 (arc=2 opp, H=20.4 ~282m) from New Millennium Obs. (July 4.90-98p10)
- K04S09T 2004 ST9 (arc=2 opp, H=18.0 ~851m) from New Millennium Obs. (July 4.98-04p8)
- K02K04F 2002 KF4 (i=37.2°, Q=4.571 AU, arc=3 opp, H=17.2 ~1.23 km) from Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (June 23.53-54p3)
- E5656 145656 4788 P-L from New Millennium Obs. (July 4.89-95p9) and Capannoli Obs. (July 4.97-99p3 & 5.96-97p5)
- D6818 136818 1997 MW1 from New Millennium Obs. (July 4.94-04p12)
- 85275 85275 1994 LY from New Millennium Obs. (July 4.90-98p11)
- 03554 3554 Amun (1986 EB) from New Millennium Obs. (March 14.82-90p8)
Observers on 6 July '07
A total of 32 observing facilities appear in today's MPECs.
| 349 | Ageo Obs. in Japan, 3 in MPECs 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13, 185, C/2007 M3 |
| J51 | Atlante Obs. in the Canary Islands, 3 in MPECs 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 S4, C/2007 M3 |
| B09 | Capannoli Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-N15 -- 145656 |
| B20 | Carmelita Obs. in Spain, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| 703 | Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 S2 |
| A77 | Chante-Perdrix Obs. in France, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- 96 |
| 850 | Cordell-Lorenz Obs. in Tennessee, 4 in MPECs 2007-N16, 2007-N17, 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2005 S4, C/2007 M3, C/2007 M2, C/2007 M1 |
| 458 | Guadarrama Obs. in Spain, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| 442 | Gualba Obs. in Spain, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| 379 | Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. in Japan, 4 in MPECs 2007-N15 & 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 L3, 96, 2002 KF4 |
| 415 | Kambah Obs. in Australia, 4 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2005 L3, 96, 44, 2 |
| J67 | La Puebla de Vallbona Obs. in Spain, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| J55 | Los Altos de Arguineguin Obs., 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2007 E2 |
| D35 | Lulin Sky Survey in Taiwan, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| 232 | Masquefa Obs. in Spain, 4 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2007 E2, C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 L3, 96 |
| 213 | Montcabre Obs. in Spain, 7 in MPECs 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2007 G1, C/2007 E2, C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 S4, C/2005 L3, 96, C/2007 M3 |
| 945 | Monte Deva Obs., 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| G96 | Mt. Lemmon Survey in Arizona, 1 in MPEC 2007-N17 -- C/2007 M2 |
| J78 | Murcia Obs. in Spain, 3 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2007 G1, C/2005 L3, 96 |
| J47 | Nazaret Obs. in Spain, 4 in MPECs 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2007 G1, C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 L3, C/2007 M3 |
| A24 | New Millennium Obs. in Italy, 12 in MPECs 2007-N15, 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2007 G1, C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 S4, C/2007 M3, 2007 MB24, 2007 MT20, 2005 NW44, 2004 ST9, 145656, 136818, 85275, 3554 |
| A53 | Peschiera del Garda Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-N15 -- 2007 MB4 |
| J53 | Posadas Obs. in Spain, 2 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2005 L3, 96 |
| H06 | RAS Obs. Mayhill in New Mexico, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- 44 |
| 473 | Remanzacco Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-N15 -- 2007 DZ40 |
| 939 | Rodeno Obs., 2 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 L3 |
| J49 | Santa Pola Obs. in Spain, 3 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 L3, 96 |
| 147 | Suno Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-N18 -- C/2007 M3 |
| B30 | Szamotuly-Galowo Obs. in Poland, 1 in MPEC 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13 |
| 673 | Table Mtn. Obs. in southern California, 1 in MPEC 2007-N18 -- C/2007 M3 |
| A55 | Vallemare di Borbona Obs. in Italy, 2 in MPEC 2007-N15 -- 2007 ML13, 2007 LV8 |
| J70 | Vega del Thader Obs. in Spain, 5 in MPECs 2007-N18 & 2007-N19 -- C/2006 VZ13, C/2005 S4, C/2005 L3, 96, C/2007 M3 |
Impact Risk Monitoring on 6 July '07
At last check (NEODyS and JPL at 2356 UTC) there was no risk monitoring news to report yet today.
Chronology on 6 July '07
Times are UTC for when the items were noted by Major News.
| 2128 | Added link to news story, "Dawn Launch Moves to No Earlier Than Monday July 9" |
| 1509 | Grabbed MPEC 2007-N16 - Comet C/2007 M1 (McNaught) - see above Grabbed MPEC 2007-N17 - Comet C/2007 M2 (Catalina) - see above Grabbed MPEC 2007-N18 - Comet C/2007 M3 (LINEAR) - see above Grabbed MPEC 2007-N19 - Observations of Comets - see above |
| 1504 | Added MOS paper, "Herbig-Haro Objects -- Tracers of the Formation of Low-mass Stars and Sub-stellar Objects" - see above Added link to news story, "Dawn Delta Launch Report" Added link to news story, "Woman makes safe launches her mission" Added link to news story, "Court rules German amateur astronomer can keep meteorite found in Austria" Added link to news story, "Meteorite hunters square off over donations" Added link to news story, "SOFIA Observatory Debuts at NASA-Dryden" Added link to news story, "A Telescope Takes Flight" |
| 1352 | Grabbed MPEC 2007-N15 - Daily Orbit Update - see above |
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)