Triple Asteroid Near Earth

[brellis]

Article <br /><font color="yellow">The first triple asteroid near Earth has been discovered.<br /><br />Astronomers have found plenty of double, or binary asteroids. Triples are known to exist, too (the first triple was found in 2005).<br /><br />But the system called 2001 SN263 is the closest triple, at just 7 million miles (11.2 million kilometers) from Earth.<br /><br />It was originally found in 2001, but new observations with the radar telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico reveal it is three gravitationally bound rocks.<br /><br />The main rock is spherical and about 1.5 miles (2 kilometers) wide. Another is about half that size. The smallest is about 1,000 feet across, or about the size of the Arecibo telescope, astronomers said.<br /><br />"This discovery has extremely important implications for ideas about the origins of near-Earth asteroids and the processes responsible for their physical properties," said Cornell University and Arecibo astronomer Michael C. Nolan. "Double, or binary, asteroid systems are known to be fairly common — about one in six near-Earth asteroids is a binary — but this is the first near-Earth triple system to be discovered."</font>/safety_wrapper> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#ff0000"><em><strong>I'm a recovering optimist - things could be better.</strong></em></font> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

The article is just a bit misleading when it says that it <font color="yellow"> is </font>the closest at 7 million miles.<br /><br />It should actually say that it is now, at closest approach. This asteroid's orbit takes it to the middle of the asteroid belt at aphelion, sevaral AU away.<br /><br />While we might realize the difference, the average person might read that as if it was 7 million miles away all the time.<br /><br /> Here's the JPL small body page on this object (or these objects). <br /><br />Another point that was missed is this asteroid has been given a permanent designation, SSB # 153591<br />.<br />Also, this is the asteroid's closest approach in the forseeable future <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

Also here on Emily Lakdawalla's Planetary Blog.<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

That was well written, thanx Andrew. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[3488]

You are more than welcome MeteorWayne.<br /><br />Emily always writes very well & finds the best stuff. <img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />This triple asteroid is very interesting. Wonder if any spectra was obtained? Wonder if all three<br />components of this system are the same type?<br /><br />I think these small asteroids that regularly pass Earth are really interesting in many ways?<br /><br />Did they originate from the Asteroid Belt?<br /><br />Are some of them dead comets?<br /><br />Are they mostly of one type or are they very different?<br /><br />Andrew Brown. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Since the observations were radar (that discovered the two other members) I doubt any spectra are available. Too far away for visual data of such a small target.<br /><br />It seems likely that this one did originate in the AB, since that's where the aphelia is.<br /><br />Many NEO's have similar orbits, though many don't.<br /><br />I'd suspect that dead comets would be so closely tied to the asteroid belt, although as we've discussed elsewhere, there is a wide variety along the line from comet to asteroid.<br /><br />Based on what we've learned so far, almost every comet and asteroid is unique, IMHO.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[publiusr]

This might be useful to individuals who want to capture an asteroid. A tether bola might make use of the rotation or the orbits of the objects. These bodies orbit around a common center one would think.&nbsp;This might be a good place to visit once Ares V is up and flying.