[meteorite-list] Correction to Watch The Skies For August Asteroid (2002 NY40)

From: Matson, Robert <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:00:10 2004
Message-ID: <AF564D2B9D91D411B9FE00508BF1C86901B4E25A_at_US-Torrance.mail.saic.com>

Hi All,

Just a quick correction to a misleading statement made in that
MSNBC story about 2002 NY40 that Ron posted to the list:

"In a rare event slated for mid-August, an asteroid will pass
close enough to Earth to be visible through binoculars and small
telescopes."

I was going to let this first statement slide because a NEA (not
an asteroid) that is large enough to be seen in binoculars is
indeed rare. But later in the article, we read:

"An asteroid becomes as bright as 2002 NY40 from our terrestrial vantage
point only about once or twice a decade. However, a similar event occurred
last December. The next time a known asteroid will appear this bright
is in 2004."

Here, they quite clearly say "asteroid", not near-earth asteroid, and
as such these statements are quite untrue. How many of you have seen
Ceres, Vesta, Pallas, Juno, Iris or Metis? These all regularly become
binocular visible. Indeed, as of right now there are five asteroids
that are as bright or brighter than 2002 NY40 will be at its brightest:

Ceres 8.7
Iris 8.7
Hebe 9.0
Eunomia 9.0
Amphitrite 9.3

Melpomene is close at 9.4, and Pallas at 9.5. Vesta is shining at 8.0,
but it is in conjunction with the sun right now (visible in SOHO
imagery!).

Cheers,
Rob
Received on Wed 24 Jul 2002 08:46:01 PM PDT