Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko observed from ESO's 8.2-meter VLT in Chile in 2004 seen with what is believed to be a dust trail. See more info below. ©Copyright Max Planck Institute.
Contents on 21 August '07
- Minor-Object News -- seven items
- Minor-Object Science -- none yet today
- IAU Minor Planet Center
- NEOCP Activity -- five listings: 5 new
- New MPECs -- two MPECs
- Observers -- nine observing facilities
- Impact Risk Monitoring -- nothing to report
- Chronology
Resources:
- Consolidated Risk Tables - CRT page
- Ephemerides for risk-rated objects
- Ephemerides for small asteroids
The latest news: framed access (best), RSS news feed (flags updates), or redirection - Note: A/CC has a main Web site and a backup site.
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 through a calendar interface. And use the all-up news archive to access news from any time since A/CC began in early 2002. To keep track of what's new each day, watch the Chronology section.
Minor-Object News on 21 August '07
- "Two new papers make extraordinary claims about comets and life," David Morrison at NASA Ames 20 Aug. - Quote: "Recent press attention has been directed toward two new science papers involving NEOs. These are: 'The Origin of Life in Comets' by Napier et al. ... and 'Comet May Have Exploded over North America' by Kennett et al... Each of these papers makes extraordinary claims about the role of NEOs in the origin and evolution of life. However, these extraordinary claims are not backed up by compelling evidence." {permalink}
- "Lumpy, bumpy, fluffy and layered: A picture of Rosetta's target comet builds up," Europlanet 20 Aug. - Quote: "Observations of [comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko] using the 8.2-m ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) show an irregularly-shaped object that is about 4.6 kilometres in diameter with a rotational period of 12 hours 49 minutes... A team of scientists ... observed the comet's nucleus in June 2004, May and August 2006 and July 2007... Surprisingly, although the comet was not active, they found that a faint dust trail is visible in the images... [Cecilia] Tubiana said, 'We believe that this dust trail is composed of large grains that the comet shed over the many times it has travelled along this path.'" - Note: See image above and another posted with the news release. {permalink}
- "Successful re-ignition of Ion Engine C onboard Hayabusa," JAXA Hayabusa mission 20 Aug. - Note: This item on the mission home page explains that the Hayabusa spacecraft has been on its way back to Earth from asteroid Itokawa since April using two of its four ion propulsion engines -- B and/or D. While at Itokawa the spacecraft lost the use of its chemical thrusters and two of its three reaction wheels, all used for adjusting its orientation. Additionally, the least used of its three active ion engines, engine C, didn't appear to start (A is on backup standby). In July the Hayabusa team determined that a power supply needed to be preheated and a new start sequence used to fire up engine C. This succeeded on July 28th and Hayabusa will now be pushed along by that engine alone until November, when a coasting hibernation mode will begin. {permalink}
- "August 19, 2007 Fireball," Cloudbait Observatory 20 Aug. - Note: Cloudbait's home page sums up this event as, "A slow, bright fireball passed over central Colorado on August 19. This 9:31 PM meteor was not part of a shower, and appears to have been in a shallow trajectory. It probably burned up without producing meteorites." {permalink}
- "Frontiers of Astronomy With the World's Largest Radio Telescope," Cornell Univ. at EurekAlert 20 Aug. - Quote: "Cornell University's National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) will host astronomers from around the world to discuss plans for research -- over a five- to 15-year time frame -- at the Arecibo Observatory... The meeting ... will be held Sept. 12-13, in Washington, D.C... Topics include pulsars and fundamental physics, cosmology and galaxy evolution, precision astrometry, cosmic radio transients and SETI (the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence), asteroids with emphasis on near-Earth objects, and the scientific future of the Arecibo planetary radar." {permalink}
- "Fourth anniversary of Spitzer Space Telescope's 'dust-busting' the universe," Cornell Univ. 20 Aug. - Quote: "Although not the first infrared space telescope, Spitzer is 100 times more sensitive than its predecessors: If they are compared to feather dusters, Spitzer is the power dust-buster of the universe." {permalink}
- "Project on Kuiper Belt Wins High School Junior a Week at Ames," NASA Ames 14 Aug. - Quote: "[Montana high school student Morielle Stroethoff's] project included models of the Kuiper belt objects ... which she mixed herself [and] then reflected light off of the objects to determine what would be probable materials... Stroethoff researched the Kuiper belt to determine that the best materials ... were carbon, coal, charcoal, and some clays, such as serpentine. She based this decision on [Dale] Cruikshank's advice and literature she read." {permalink}
NEOCP Activity on 21 August '07
The MPC's NEO Confirmation Page has 5 listings: 5 new
When last checked at 2354 UTC today, the Minor Planet Center's NEO discovery Confirmation Page (NEOCP) had five new listings. All of these were "one nighters." So far Major News has counted a total of six objects listed on the NEOCP at some point today.
To learn how observers use the NEOCP, see the Practical guide on how to observe NEOCP object by Birtwhistle et al. at Suno Observatory.
New MPECs on 21 August '07
Minor Planet Electronic Circulars
As of last check at 2354 UTC, there have been two MPECs issued today from the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- MPEC 2007-Q13 time-stamped "06:09 UT" - Daily Orbit Update - see below
- MPEC 2007-Q14 time-stamped "23:14 UT" - 2007 QA2
MPEC 2007-Q14 - "23:14 UT" - 2007 QA2
- K07Q02A 2007 QA2 (H=20.8 ~234m) was discovered at 2007 UT 16 Aug. by Andrushivka Obs., which observed it at Aug. 16.84-86p5, 17.85-87p4, and 21.85-86p5.
<< DOU on 21 Aug. '07 >> MPEC 2007-Q13 - "06:09 UT" - Daily Orbit Update
- Observations of small asteroids (H>22.0)
- K07P09Q 2007 PQ9 (arc=10 days, H=22.2 ~123m) from Shenton Park Obs. (Aug. 20.79p3)
- Observations of almost-small asteroids (21.7<H<=22.0)
- K07P25R 2007 PR25 (q=0.301 AU, arc=7 days, H=22.0 ~135m) from Table Mtn. Obs. (Aug. 20.19-21p4)
- Observations of other objects
- K07P28F 2007 PF28 (arc=5 days, H=19.0 ~537m) from Atlante Obs. (Aug. 19.95-97p3) and Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (Aug. 20.55-57p8)
- K07P25H 2007 PH25 (i=53.3°, Q=4.634 AU, arc=8 days, H=16.5 ~1.70 km) from Mt. John Obs. (Aug. 20.64p3) and Shenton Park Obs. (Aug. 20.84p3)
- K07P11U 2007 PU11 (Q=4.384 AU, arc=3 opp, H=16.4 ~1.78 km) from Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (Aug. 20.64-68p4)
- K07P09R 2007 PR9 (arc=9 days, H=20.6 ~257m) from Mt. John Obs. (Aug. 20.61-62p3)
- K07P08E 2007 PE8 (arc=9 days, H=19.5 ~426m) from Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (Aug. 20.58-63p12)
- K07N01L 2007 NL1 (arc=40 days, H=21.7 ~155m) from Mt. John Obs. (Aug. 20.73-74p5)
- K07L32R 2007 LR32 (arc=87 days, H=17.2 ~1.23 km) from Atlante Obs. (Aug. 20.00-01p2) and Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (Aug. 20.54-55p5)
- K07DA3T 2007 DT103 (arc=175 days, H=19.2 ~490m) from University Hills Obs. (Aug. 18.39-40p6 & 20.36-37p6), Atlante Obs. (Aug. 20.13p2), and Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (Aug. 20.69p3)
- K07D83B 2007 DB83 (arc=3 opp, H=18.3 ~741m) from New Millennium Obs. (April 9.03-08p4)
- K07D41A 2007 DA41 (arc=3 opp, H=17.5 ~1.07 km) from Frasso Sabino Obs. (Aug. 17.86p2)
- K06X02D 2006 XD2 (arc=2 opp, H=21.1 ~204m) from Mt. John Obs. (Aug. 20.56-60p6)
- K06N00L 2006 NL (q=0.360 AU, arc=2 opp, H=19.8 ~371m) from Mt. John Obs. (Aug. 20.75-76p3)
- K02VB8D 2002 VD118 (arc=2 opp, H=20.2 ~309m) from Mt. John Obs. (Aug. 20.65-68p5)
- F4555 154555 2003 HA from New Millennium Obs. (April 7.04p1, 7.11-13p2 & 9.06-10p3)
- F4453 154453 2003 CJ11 from New Millennium Obs. (April 9.03-09p4)
- F4007 154007 2002 BY from New Millennium Obs. (April 6.95p1 & 7.02p1)
- E5656 145656 4788 P-L from New Millennium Obs. (April 9.05-10p4)
- 86324 86324 1999 WA2 from Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. (Aug. 20.53p4)
- 86039 86039 1999 NC43 from New Millennium Obs. (April 8.85-87p4)
- 40267 40267 1999 GJ4 from New Millennium Obs. (April 9.05-11p4)
- 05626 5626 1991 FE from New Millennium Obs. (April 8.86-88p2)
- 04544 4544 Xanthus (1989 FB) from New Millennium Obs. (April 6.94p1, 6.00p1 & 8.93-99p4)
- 04257 4257 Ubasti (1987 QA) from New Millennium Obs. (April 9.04-09p4)
- 04055 4055 Magellan (1985 DO2) from New Millennium Obs. (April 6.95p1, 7.00p1 & 8.93p1)
- 03554 3554 Amun (1986 EB) from New Millennium Obs. (April 8.82-84p2)
- 03103 3103 Eger (1982 BB) from New Millennium Obs. (April 6.94-96p2, 8.87-88p2 & 8.93-99p4)
- 01866 1866 Sisyphus (1972 XA) from New Millennium Obs. (April 8.85-86p2)
- 01627 1627 Ivar (1929 SH) from New Millennium Obs. (April 8.85-86p2)
Observers on 21 August '07
Nine observing facilities appear in today's MPECs.
| Code | Observer / observatory |
|---|---|
| A50 | Andrushivka Obs. in the Ukraine, 1 in MPEC 2007-Q14 -- 2007 QA2 |
| J51 | Atlante Obs. in the Canary Islands, 3 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 PF28, 2007 LR32, 2007 DT103 |
| 157 | Frasso Sabino Obs. in Italy, 1 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 DA41 |
| 379 | Hamamatsu-Yuto Obs. in Japan, 6 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 PU11, 2007 PF28, 2007 PE8, 2007 LR32, 2007 DT103, 86324 |
| 474 | Mt. John Obs. in New Zealand, 6 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 PR9, 2007 PH25, 2007 NL1, 2006 XD2, 2006 NL, 2002 VD118 |
| A24 | New Millennium Obs. in Italy, 15 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 DB83, 86039, 40267, 154555, 154453, 154007, 145656, 5626, 4544, 4257, 4055, 3554, 3103, 1866, 1627 |
| D21 | Shenton Park Obs., 2 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 PQ9, 2007 PH25 |
| 673 | Table Mtn. Obs. in southern California, 1 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 PR25 |
| G72 | University Hills Obs. in southern California, 1 in MPEC 2007-Q13 -- 2007 DT103 |
Impact Risk Monitoring on 21 August '07
At last check (NEODyS and JPL at 2354 UTC) there was no risk monitoring news to report yet today. See the CRT for activity in the last month.
Chronology on 21 August '07
Times are UTC for when the items were noted or added by Major News.
| 2354 | Grabbed MPEC 2007-Q14 - 2007 QA2 - see above |
| 1902 | The NEOCP has become active |
| 1901 | Added link to news story, "Two new papers make extraordinary claims about comets and life" |
| 1815 | Added link to news story, "Project on Kuiper Belt Wins High School Junior a Week at Ames" Added link to news story, "August 19, 2007 Fireball" Added link to news story, "Frontiers of Astronomy With the World's Largest Radio Telescope" Added link to news story, "Lumpy, bumpy, fluffy and layered: A picture of Rosetta's target comet builds up" Added link to news story, "Successful re-ignition of Ion Engine C onboard Hayabusa" Added link to news story, "Fourth anniversary of Spitzer Space Telescope's 'dust-busting' the universe" |
| 1410 | Grabbed MPEC 2007-Q13 - Daily Orbit Update - see above |
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