6 October 2008

This story appears on SpaceWeather this afternoon:

INCOMING ASTEROID   A small, newly-discovered asteroid named 2008 TC3 is approaching Earth and chances are better than 99.8% that it will hit. Steve Chesley of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory estimates that atmospheric entry will occur on Oct 7th at 0246 UTC over northern Sudan--just hours from now. Measuring only a few meters across, the space rock poses NO THREAT to people or structures on the ground, but it should create a spectacular fireball, releasing about a kiloton of TNT in energy as it disintegrates and explodes in the atmosphere. Asteroids of this size hit Earth every few months, but this is the first time one has been discovered before it hit.

There should be good pictures of the event there tomorrow, hopefully some sound files as well.

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SpaceWeather always posts anaglyphs (3D images) on days when I don't have my 3D glasses. I am parking the link to the image of Victoria Crater here, at least until I get a chance to view it properly.

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Observing Location	McGraw Ave @ White Plains Rd, Bronx, NY
Observational Period	1915-1945 EDT
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 55° F Wind Light Breeze Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.33" Hg Rising Feels Like Brisk I can’t see any clouds but sense that there were broken clouds overhead. There was no ring around the Moon and it didn’t illuminate any clouds strongly enough for me to identify them but the ISS appeared to be illuminating atmosphere beneath it as it passed nearly overhead. [Weather Underground’s weather history for Central Park says that it was Clear at the time and for LaGuardia airport Partly Cloudy.] Transparency Excellent Seeing
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target ISS Visible Pass Constellation UMa, Dra, UMi, Cep, Lac, Peg Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20081006.1934 EDT Comments The ISS rose out of the horizon dimly and appeared to be moving very slowly although it’s apparent motion was toward me. It rose very high in the sky and became very bright looking like a bar of light. As it dropped toward its point of disappearance it dimmed and its rate of travel appeared to decrease relative to what it was when it was overheae (which was greater than when it was rising) before winking out in the Earth’s shadow. The CalSky magnitude prediction seems to be the more realistic for culmination. I saw it pass through the handle of the Big Dipper between Mizar/Alcor and Megrez and then above Polaris.     Starts Max. Alt. Ends H A e b a o v v e e n &nbst s   Time 1934:15 EDT 1937:10 EDT 1938:16 EDT Alt. 10° 62° 33° Az. NW NE ESE Mag -2.3 C a l S k y Time 1933:12 EDT 1930:10 EDT 1939:20 EDT Alt. horizon 63.2° 31.5° Az. 307.9° NW 34.2° NE 105.4° ESE Mag 1.5 -4.4 -3.7

Target Moon Constellation Sgr Category Lunar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20081006.1915 EDT Comments Lunation 1061 Phase Waxing Crescent First Quarter – 9h 50m Age 7d 15h 2m Distance Light Time (from earth) 401,475 km 1.34s Elongation 85.7° E % Illuminated 46.2% Morning Terminator Colongitude (λ E) 358.1° Evening Terminator Colongitude (λ W) 6.1° Libration in Latitude 4° 49' Libration in Longitude -2° 23' Magnitude -9.9 Angular Size 29.76' Altitude ° Virtual Moon Atlas graphic My eyesight is not good enough to pick out lunar features unaided so I didn’t even try. The Moon is approaching first quarter but the shadow of the terminator still has an obvious bulge into the illuminated surface of the Moon. I did not detect any earthshine.

Starry Night Starter graphic

Target Jupiter Constellation Sgr Category Planet Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20081006.1915 EDT Comments Jupiter is to the upper left of the slightly less than First Quarter Moon and looks like it is falling into the bowl of the Moon’s reflected light. Jupiter is bright enough and far enough away (~5°) from the Moon that it is easily seen. Object Class Classical Planet Elongation 89.7° E Distance Light Time (from Earth) 5.06 AU 42m 1s Distance (from Sun) 5.15 AU Angular Size 39" x 36.4" Magnitude -2.3 Central Meridian I/II 355°/24° Altitude 21.8° Moons Starry Night Starter graphic