Miami - An unusually large asteroid that just
skimmed by Earth had its own moon, Nasa
said on Tuesday as the US space agency
released its first radar images of the flyby.
The asteroid known as 2004 BL86 made its
closest approach late on Monday at a
distance about three times further than
Earth's own Moon.
Radar images from Nasa's Deep Space
Network antenna in Goldstone, California
show that the asteroid itself was about 150m
smaller than expected, and measured about
325m across.
The asteroid's small moon was approximately
70m across.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield called the
discovery "strangely delightful," and
wondered on Twitter: "Who gets to name it?"
The asteroid was already unusual because it
was about 10 times bigger than most near-
Earth objects, which range from 15 to 30m in
diameter.
Nasa said that about 16% of asteroids in 2004
BL86's size category - meaning those that
are 200m or larger - are "binary," meaning
there is a primary asteroid with a smaller
asteroid moon orbiting it.
Some even have two moons.
The odd couple of 2004 BL86 and its moon
will not come this way again for another two
centuries, astronomers say.
The next big space rock known to be heading
this way is asteroid 1999 AN10, which Nasa
said should fly past Earth in 2027.
skimmed by Earth had its own moon, Nasa
said on Tuesday as the US space agency
released its first radar images of the flyby.
The asteroid known as 2004 BL86 made its
closest approach late on Monday at a
distance about three times further than
Earth's own Moon.
Radar images from Nasa's Deep Space
Network antenna in Goldstone, California
show that the asteroid itself was about 150m
smaller than expected, and measured about
325m across.
The asteroid's small moon was approximately
70m across.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield called the
discovery "strangely delightful," and
wondered on Twitter: "Who gets to name it?"
The asteroid was already unusual because it
was about 10 times bigger than most near-
Earth objects, which range from 15 to 30m in
diameter.
Nasa said that about 16% of asteroids in 2004
BL86's size category - meaning those that
are 200m or larger - are "binary," meaning
there is a primary asteroid with a smaller
asteroid moon orbiting it.
Some even have two moons.
The odd couple of 2004 BL86 and its moon
will not come this way again for another two
centuries, astronomers say.
The next big space rock known to be heading
this way is asteroid 1999 AN10, which Nasa
said should fly past Earth in 2027.
posted from Bloggeroid
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