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Big Asteroid (With Its Own Moon) To Have Closest Approach With Earth Today
An anonymous reader writes "Asteroid 1998 QE2 has an estimated diameter of 2.7 km. This asteroid will have a close approach with Earth at about 15.2 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0392 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers) at 2059 UT on 2013 May 31 and it will reach the peak magnitude ~10.8 on May 31 around 2300 UT."
Radar images of the asteroid taken Wednesday show that 1998 QE2 has its own tiny moon, about 600 meters wide. Phil Plait explained how the images were taken, and what further information we gleaned from them. 'The very presence of the moon is a good thing. By measuring how long it takes to go around the primary, the mass of the primary can be found using math known for centuries (the more massive the big asteroid, the faster the moon will go around it at a given distance). We also know the size of the primary, so that means we can find its density, and therefore what it’s made of (probably mostly rock).'
It's a space station!
Because it has a moon, does that mean Bruce Willis will need a sidekick to take it out?
So I put an asteroid on your asteroid, so you can watch a flyby while you're watchin' a flyby!
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
(probably mostly rock).
At least it's not some kind of smooth alternative. But I was hoping for something heavier, maybe with metal influences.
Everything is better with chainsaws.
... that the tidal gravitational wave of Earth/Moon will disrupt the small couple?
It's got another asteroid orbiting it
I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
15.2 LD (Lunar Distances = ~384,000 kilometers) or 0.0392 AU (1 AU = ~150 million kilometers)
Or maybe we could just say "around four million miles" and be done with it. Add in the metric conversion if you want, but really, do we need an explication of "AU" and "LD" for this story? Just convert it to human readable format. It's one of those things that "journalists" do...
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve your problem, you're not using enough of it. --AC
Gee, that moon sure is reflective of radar. Almost like it was specular and made of metal.
Don't take life too seriously; it isn't permanent.
This is neat stuff. I wish we (the world) would start doing more than just remarking on the close approach of these asteroids. Wouldn't it be nice to perform some experiments with gravity tugs. You know, step out of simulation-land for a little bit?
Or collect some samples? Or do a test detonation? Or deposit some extremophiles? ... ?
Sigh.
During the last asteroid flyby there was a coincidental meteor explosion in the former Soviet Union, caught by hundreds of in-car dash cameras... SAME DAY...
So, I would assume that this flyby should also have an associated and completely unexpected rock from space approaching from the opposite direction and oh, I dunno, wipe out Paris?
I mean, destruction of a major city from space would be horrific and all, but I can't imagine anything joining the world together in unity to create a real space defense (and get us out there and off this rock) than a few million people getting killed at once.
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Just wondering!
Its Asteroids all the way down...
That's one mofo of a planet killer sized asteroid.
No wedding ring? That is a gross oversight. :o(
How cool is this. 1.7 miles of orbiting rock. Let's capture that sucker and bring it where we can use it.
Looks like another 1999 KW4. It's another space turd orbiting a cupcake rubble pile about to spin itself apart.
Earth-grazer, Uranus-grazer? Remember now, it's a protected status [brandishes ROYGBV Gay Pride flag].
I'm guessing the "moon" is called Philip?