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Boulder-sized Asteroid Will Burn Up in Earth's Atmosphere Tonight
This photo shows an 18 x 18 arcminute patch of the sky centered on asteroid 2008 TC3. The telescope tracked the asteroid, which is moving across the sky, so background stars appear as streaks while the asteroid appears as a point of light. 2008 TC3 is expected to enter Earth's atmosphere over northern Sudan at 10:46 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, Oct. 6 and burn up. Credit: Peter Birtwhistle, Great Shefford Observatory, Berkshire, UK
"We want to stress that this object is not a threat," said Dr. Timothy Spahr, director of the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center.
"We're excited since this is the first time we have issued a prediction that an object will enter Earth's atmosphere," Spahr added. Odds are between 99.8 and 100 percent that the object will encounter Earth, according to calculations provided by Andrea Milani of the University of Pisa.
When a meteoroid (small asteroid) enters the atmosphere, it compresses the air in front of it. That compression heats the air, which in turn heats the object, causing it to glow and vaporize. Once it starts to glow, the object is called a meteor.
"A typical meteor comes from an object the size of a grain of sand," explained Gareth Williams of the Minor Planet Center. "This meteor will be a real humdinger in comparison!"
The meteor is expected to be visible from eastern Africa as an extremely bright fireball traveling rapidly across the sky from west to east. The object is expected to enter the atmosphere over northern Sudan at a shallow angle.
"We're eager for observations from astronomers near the asteroid's approach path. We really hope that someone will manage to photograph it," said Williams.
The Minor Planet Center, which is located at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, serves as the worldwide clearinghouse for asteroid and comet observations. It collects, checks and disseminates observations and calculates orbits.
Provided by Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
"We're excited since this is the first time we have issued a prediction that an object will enter Earth's atmosphere," Spahr added. Odds are between 99.8 and 100 percent that the object will encounter Earth, according to calculations provided by Andrea Milani of the University of Pisa.
When a meteoroid (small asteroid) enters the atmosphere, it compresses the air in front of it. That compression heats the air, which in turn heats the object, causing it to glow and vaporize. Once it starts to glow, the object is called a meteor.
"A typical meteor comes from an object the size of a grain of sand," explained Gareth Williams of the Minor Planet Center. "This meteor will be a real humdinger in comparison!"
"We're eager for observations from astronomers near the asteroid's approach path. We really hope that someone will manage to photograph it," said Williams.
The Minor Planet Center, which is located at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, serves as the worldwide clearinghouse for asteroid and comet observations. It collects, checks and disseminates observations and calculates orbits.
Provided by Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
» Next Article in Space & Earth science - Space Exploration: Cassini flyby of Saturn moon offers insight into solar system history
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