Artist’s concept of near-Earth asteroid, like 2017 VR12, which will pass closest to Earth on March 7 at 07:53 UTC. Image via P. Carril and ESA.
Astronomers have been following a space rock labeled 2017 VR12, discovered a few months ago. It’s due to pass safely by Earth at 3.76 times the moon’s distance on March 7. Because of its relatively large size, this asteroid is a very good radar target for professional astronomers, and amateur astronomers will be able to pick up this asteroid with their backyard telescopes (see charts below).
Asteroid 2017 VR12 is estimated to be between 820 to 919 feet (250-280 meters) in diameter. That’s in contrast to 65 feet (20 meters) for the space rock that came closer and exploded in the atmosphere over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, five years ago. And it’s in contrast to an estimated 150 feet (46 meters) for the space rock that caused a .75-mile-wide (1.2-km-wide) crater near Flagstaff, Arizona some 50,000 years ago.
Asteroid 2017 VR12 offers no risk to Earth this time, however. It’ll be 3.76 lunar-distances away at its closest approach to Earth on March 7, 2018 at around 07:53 UTC (2:53 a.m. EST; translate UTC to your time). According to NASA data, the space rock will pass even closer to the moon around that date, still with no risk.
Calculations show this space rock will come no closer for at least the next 177 years than it will be on March 7.
Because it has the potential to make close approaches to Earth and is big enough to cause significant regional damage if it were to strike, 2017 VR12 is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid by the Minor Planet Center.
Orbit of asteroid 2017 VR12, via Gideon van Buitenen (@giddgvb on Twitter).
Asteroid 2017 VR12 is considered medium-sized. The largest asteroid (now classified as a dwarf planet) is Ceres, is 588 miles (946 km) in diameter (but objects the size of Ceres stay in the asteroid belt, far from Earth).
Astronomers will study 2017 VR12 using radar, which will show scientists the shape and rotation of the space rock. NASA’s Goldstone Radar in California will beam signals at the asteroid, and record those that bounce off it, between March 5 and 7.
Meanwhile, backyard astronomers with 8-inch and bigger telescopes (the number indicates the diameter of the telescope’s primary mirror) have a good opportunity to see an asteroid, if their instruments are pointed at the correct location at the correct time. Although visible in telescopes for only a few nights, asteroid 2017 VR12 might reach a brightness or magnitude of 11.8 to 12 during the night of March 6-7.
Using optical aid, observers in eastern North America can try to spot the asteroid on March 6 at about 11 p.m. EST (04:00 UTC March 7). The asteroid will be in front of the constellation Virgo, which will be rising over the eastern horizon around that time. That area of the sky will be visible from Los Angeles, California and the rest of western North America after about 9:30 p.m. PST.
During the night of March 6 asteroid 2017 VR12 will be located in front of the constellation Virgo. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.
If you have a computerized telescope, you can locate star HIP 65106 in Virgo on March 6 at around 11 p.m. CST (05:00 UTC March 7) and see the asteroid moving very slowly in front of the fixed stars. The Apollo type asteroid is travelling through space at 14,093 miles per hour (22,680 km/h).
Shortly after 3 a.m. CST (08:00 UT March 7), asteroid 2017 VR12 passes very close to where we see star HIP 65198. Take a good look at the stars visible in the eyepiece and compare it 10 minutes later to detect the asteroid. Although a 70% illuminated moon is visible that night, asteroids have been spotted with scopes under these conditions. Use a dark cloth or shirt over your head to get a better view through the telescope’s eyepiece.
Path of asteroid 2017 VR12 during the night of March 6-7. The numbered reference stars should make it easier to point an electronic telescope and wait for the asteroid to appear as a very slow-moving “star.” Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Kstars Software.
Asteroid 2017 VR12 was discovered on November 10, 2017 by the 60-inch Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii.
Bottom line: 2017 VR12 will pass closest to Earth – 3.76 times the moon’s distance – during the night of March 6-7. It’s a good target for radar, and amateur astronomers might catch it with small telescopes.
Check out: Earth’s busy neighborhood
Check out: List of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/2EwRW77
Artist’s concept of near-Earth asteroid, like 2017 VR12, which will pass closest to Earth on March 7 at 07:53 UTC. Image via P. Carril and ESA.
Astronomers have been following a space rock labeled 2017 VR12, discovered a few months ago. It’s due to pass safely by Earth at 3.76 times the moon’s distance on March 7. Because of its relatively large size, this asteroid is a very good radar target for professional astronomers, and amateur astronomers will be able to pick up this asteroid with their backyard telescopes (see charts below).
Asteroid 2017 VR12 is estimated to be between 820 to 919 feet (250-280 meters) in diameter. That’s in contrast to 65 feet (20 meters) for the space rock that came closer and exploded in the atmosphere over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, five years ago. And it’s in contrast to an estimated 150 feet (46 meters) for the space rock that caused a .75-mile-wide (1.2-km-wide) crater near Flagstaff, Arizona some 50,000 years ago.
Asteroid 2017 VR12 offers no risk to Earth this time, however. It’ll be 3.76 lunar-distances away at its closest approach to Earth on March 7, 2018 at around 07:53 UTC (2:53 a.m. EST; translate UTC to your time). According to NASA data, the space rock will pass even closer to the moon around that date, still with no risk.
Calculations show this space rock will come no closer for at least the next 177 years than it will be on March 7.
Because it has the potential to make close approaches to Earth and is big enough to cause significant regional damage if it were to strike, 2017 VR12 is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid by the Minor Planet Center.
Orbit of asteroid 2017 VR12, via Gideon van Buitenen (@giddgvb on Twitter).
Asteroid 2017 VR12 is considered medium-sized. The largest asteroid (now classified as a dwarf planet) is Ceres, is 588 miles (946 km) in diameter (but objects the size of Ceres stay in the asteroid belt, far from Earth).
Astronomers will study 2017 VR12 using radar, which will show scientists the shape and rotation of the space rock. NASA’s Goldstone Radar in California will beam signals at the asteroid, and record those that bounce off it, between March 5 and 7.
Meanwhile, backyard astronomers with 8-inch and bigger telescopes (the number indicates the diameter of the telescope’s primary mirror) have a good opportunity to see an asteroid, if their instruments are pointed at the correct location at the correct time. Although visible in telescopes for only a few nights, asteroid 2017 VR12 might reach a brightness or magnitude of 11.8 to 12 during the night of March 6-7.
Using optical aid, observers in eastern North America can try to spot the asteroid on March 6 at about 11 p.m. EST (04:00 UTC March 7). The asteroid will be in front of the constellation Virgo, which will be rising over the eastern horizon around that time. That area of the sky will be visible from Los Angeles, California and the rest of western North America after about 9:30 p.m. PST.
During the night of March 6 asteroid 2017 VR12 will be located in front of the constellation Virgo. Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Stellarium.
If you have a computerized telescope, you can locate star HIP 65106 in Virgo on March 6 at around 11 p.m. CST (05:00 UTC March 7) and see the asteroid moving very slowly in front of the fixed stars. The Apollo type asteroid is travelling through space at 14,093 miles per hour (22,680 km/h).
Shortly after 3 a.m. CST (08:00 UT March 7), asteroid 2017 VR12 passes very close to where we see star HIP 65198. Take a good look at the stars visible in the eyepiece and compare it 10 minutes later to detect the asteroid. Although a 70% illuminated moon is visible that night, asteroids have been spotted with scopes under these conditions. Use a dark cloth or shirt over your head to get a better view through the telescope’s eyepiece.
Path of asteroid 2017 VR12 during the night of March 6-7. The numbered reference stars should make it easier to point an electronic telescope and wait for the asteroid to appear as a very slow-moving “star.” Illustration by Eddie Irizarry using Kstars Software.
Asteroid 2017 VR12 was discovered on November 10, 2017 by the 60-inch Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii.
Bottom line: 2017 VR12 will pass closest to Earth – 3.76 times the moon’s distance – during the night of March 6-7. It’s a good target for radar, and amateur astronomers might catch it with small telescopes.
Check out: Earth’s busy neighborhood
Check out: List of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/2EwRW77
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire