Possible Encounter with Asteroid 2011MD
June 25th 2011 10:55
Category: Cosmic Objects
image taken by Peter Birtwhistle on June 23
There seems to be a bit of a debate whether asteroid 2011 MD is really an asteroid.
There is a slim possibility that is may be a spent rocket booster.
The upper stages are jettisoned after deploying . Some are burnet up during re entry in the Earth’s atmosphere. Some become space junk remaining in Earth orbit. It is possible for them to escape earth orbit and start orbiting around the Sun.
Space junk starts out with almost the same velocity as Earth, they tend to stay in similar orbits.
Although pieces of space junk can in some cases exhibit similar characteristics as asteroids.
Update:
Latest calculations at the time of writing this blog suggest that there is a strong possibility that it may be a small asteroid the size of a small boulder. The actual size is hard to estimate . The revised estimate is around 25 to 55 feet (8 to 18 m) across. Still a rock this size is a formidable piece of real estate.
The asteroid is predicted to pass less than 8,000 miles above Earth's surface around 1 p.m. EDT (17:00 UT) on Monday, June 27th. This is not the closest known asteroid approach Earth, three other objects passed Earth at a distance of 11,000 miles. A smaller asteroid actually struck Earth back in 2008.
The object will be visible only from South Africa and parts of Antarctica. The approach will be visible across Australia, New Zealand, southern and eastern Asia. The object will most likely appear as a satellite passing overhead although it should make for interesting viewing.
Image credit Peter Birtwhistle
| 49 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by CMoreStars
Astroearth
Camera Sense
The weather here might be cloudy as well.