Posts by Paul

Deadly planet-smash asteroid was actually Euro probe

I have the MPEC email here

TITLE=(Fwd) MPEC V69: 2007 VN84 [a=1.19,e=0.34,i=1.9,H=26.3] [28805-]

Date sent: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:06:04 -0500 (EST)

Snip a bunch of observation stuff

Orbital elements:

2007 VN84 Earth MOID = 0.0001 AU

Epoch 2007 Oct. 27.0 TT = JDT 2454400.5 MPC

M 302.66563 (2000.0) P Q

n 0.76181070 Peri. 79.69236 -0.65353221 -0.75645089

a 1.1873297 Node 51.14851 +0.68070296 -0.60243373

e 0.3412776 Incl. 1.91562 +0.33096698 -0.25466771

P 1.29 H 26.3 G 0.15 U 9

(Snip the observations and such of which there are many)

Observer notes:

The minimum distance from the geocenter is 0.000081 AU (1.89 Earth radii)

on Nov 13.844 UT.This object passes 5000 km from Earth's surface on Nov. 13 at 20 hours UT (Nov.

14 at 9 a.m. NZDT). From the H magnitude its diameter is in the 10-35 metres

range.

There may be some news media interest. Note that the prediction is based on

only 1.6 days of observation.

My note:

Many hours of telescope and observer time was waisted because the

European Space Agency did not communicate with the minor planet center.

Top scientists list favourite gizmos

My top 5

The internal combustion engine, Cigarettes, Controlled fermentation, Plumbing, Explosives. A pity the article does not say what was voted as the top invention by the Top scientists.

Kepler telescope primed to search for earth-like planets

Slim odds to find a brother earth

The transit method is most sensitive to massive palnets in short period orbits. Massive planets make a larger eclipse so it is easier to see the flux drop, the further the planet from the star the more precisely aligned the orbital plane of the planet needs to be with us. The method gives an estimate of the diamater ratio of the planet star system not the mass. Other methods of planet detection include microlensing and pulsar timing. The Register Wednesday 25 Jan 2006 18:02