* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: Asteroid (285263) 1998 QE2

Blobrana · L

Asteroid (285263) 1998 QE2 is at its brightest (10.7 mag) in the constellation Libra, at 08:40 UT, 2nd June, 2013.

Blobrana · L

NASA Covers Asteroid's Flyby of Earth

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Blobrana · L

Asteroid 1998 QE2 set for Earth fly-by

An asteroid that measures nearly 2.7km across is set to fly past the Earth. The space rock, which is called 1998 QE2, is so large that it is orbited by its own moon. It will make its closest approach to our planet at 20:59 GMT (21:59 BST), but scientists say there is no chance that it will hit.
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Blobrana · L

ScienceCasts: Big Asteroid Flyby

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NASA is tracking a large near-Earth asteroid as it passes by the Earth-Moon system on May 31st. Amateur astronomers in the northern hemisphere may be able to see the space rock for themselves during the 1st week of June.

Blobrana · L

Ephemeris

Date       UT      R.A. (J2000) Decl.    Delta     r     El.    Ph.   Mag
2013 05 30 200000 14 11 40.3 -25 17 25   0.040   1.048  148.0  30.8  11.0
2013 05 30 210000 14 13 04.2 -25 06 48   0.040   1.048  148.3  30.6  11.0
2013 05 30 220000 14 14 28.1 -24 56 07   0.040   1.048  148.6  30.3  11.0
2013 05 30 230000 14 15 51.8 -24 45 21   0.040   1.048  148.9  30.0  11.0
2013 05 31 000000 14 17 15.5 -24 34 32   0.040   1.048  149.1  29.8  11.0
2013 05 31 010000 14 18 39.1 -24 23 39   0.040   1.048  149.4  29.5  11.0
2013 05 31 020000 14 20 02.7 -24 12 41   0.039   1.048  149.7  29.2  11.0
2013 05 31 030000 14 21 26.1 -24 01 40   0.039   1.048  149.9  29.0  11.0
2013 05 31 040000 14 22 49.4 -23 50 35   0.039   1.048  150.2  28.7  10.9
2013 05 31 050000 14 24 12.6 -23 39 26   0.039   1.048  150.5  28.5  10.9
2013 05 31 060000 14 25 35.7 -23 28 14   0.039   1.048  150.8  28.2  10.9
2013 05 31 070000 14 26 58.6 -23 16 57   0.039   1.048  151.0  27.9  10.9
2013 05 31 080000 14 28 21.5 -23 05 38   0.039   1.049  151.3  27.7  10.9
2013 05 31 090000 14 29 44.2 -22 54 15   0.039   1.049  151.6  27.4  10.9
2013 05 31 100000 14 31 06.7 -22 42 48   0.039   1.049  151.8  27.2  10.9
2013 05 31 110000 14 32 29.2 -22 31 19   0.039   1.049  152.1  26.9  10.9
2013 05 31 120000 14 33 51.4 -22 19 46   0.039   1.049  152.3  26.7  10.9
2013 05 31 130000 14 35 13.5 -22 08 10   0.039   1.049  152.6  26.4  10.9
2013 05 31 140000 14 36 35.5 -21 56 30   0.039   1.049  152.9  26.2  10.9
2013 05 31 150000 14 37 57.2 -21 44 48   0.039   1.049  153.1  25.9  10.9
2013 05 31 160000 14 39 18.9 -21 33 04   0.039   1.049  153.4  25.7  10.8
2013 05 31 170000 14 40 40.3 -21 21 16   0.039   1.049  153.6  25.4  10.8
2013 05 31 180000 14 42 01.5 -21 09 26   0.039   1.049  153.9  25.2  10.8
2013 05 31 190000 14 43 22.6 -20 57 33   0.039   1.049  154.1  24.9  10.8
2013 05 31 200000 14 44 43.4 -20 45 37   0.039   1.049  154.4  24.7  10.8
2013 05 31 210000 14 46 04.1 -20 33 39   0.039   1.050  154.6  24.5  10.8
2013 05 31 220000 14 47 24.5 -20 21 39   0.039   1.050  154.9  24.2  10.8
2013 05 31 230000 14 48 44.8 -20 09 37   0.039   1.050  155.1  24.0  10.8
2013 06 01 000000 14 50 04.8 -19 57 32   0.039   1.050  155.3  23.8  10.8
2013 06 01 010000 14 51 24.6 -19 45 26   0.039   1.050  155.6  23.5  10.8
2013 06 01 020000 14 52 44.2 -19 33 17   0.039   1.050  155.8  23.3  10.8
2013 06 01 030000 14 54 03.6 -19 21 07   0.039   1.050  156.0  23.1  10.8
2013 06 01 040000 14 55 22.7 -19 08 55   0.039   1.050  156.3  22.9  10.8
2013 06 01 050000 14 56 41.6 -18 56 41   0.039   1.050  156.5  22.7  10.8
2013 06 01 060000 14 58 00.3 -18 44 26   0.039   1.050  156.7  22.5  10.8
2013 06 01 070000 14 59 18.7 -18 32 09   0.039   1.050  156.9  22.2  10.7
2013 06 01 080000 15 00 36.9 -18 19 51   0.039   1.050  157.1  22.0  10.7
2013 06 01 090000 15 01 54.8 -18 07 32   0.039   1.050  157.3  21.8  10.7
2013 06 01 100000 15 03 12.4 -17 55 11   0.039   1.051  157.5  21.6  10.7
2013 06 01 110000 15 04 29.8 -17 42 50   0.039   1.051  157.8  21.4  10.7
2013 06 01 120000 15 05 46.9 -17 30 27   0.039   1.051  158.0  21.2  10.7
2013 06 01 130000 15 07 03.8 -17 18 04   0.039   1.051  158.1  21.1  10.7
2013 06 01 140000 15 08 20.4 -17 05 39   0.039   1.051  158.3  20.9  10.7
2013 06 01 150000 15 09 36.7 -16 53 15   0.039   1.051  158.5  20.7  10.7
2013 06 01 160000 15 10 52.8 -16 40 49   0.039   1.051  158.7  20.5  10.7
2013 06 01 170000 15 12 08.5 -16 28 23   0.040   1.051  158.9  20.3  10.7
2013 06 01 180000 15 13 24.0 -16 15 57   0.040   1.051  159.1  20.2  10.7
2013 06 01 190000 15 14 39.2 -16 03 30   0.040   1.051  159.2  20.0  10.7
2013 06 01 200000 15 15 54.1 -15 51 03   0.040   1.051  159.4  19.8  10.7
2013 06 01 210000 15 17 08.7 -15 38 36   0.040   1.051  159.6  19.7  10.7
2013 06 01 220000 15 18 23.0 -15 26 09   0.040   1.051  159.7  19.5  10.7
2013 06 01 230000 15 19 37.0 -15 13 42   0.040   1.052  159.9  19.4  10.7
2013 06 02 000000 15 20 50.7 -15 01 15   0.040   1.052  160.0  19.2  10.7
2013 06 02 010000 15 22 04.1 -14 48 48   0.040   1.052  160.2  19.1  10.7
2013 06 02 020000 15 23 17.2 -14 36 22   0.040   1.052  160.3  18.9  10.7
2013 06 02 030000 15 24 30.0 -14 23 56   0.040   1.052  160.5  18.8  10.7
2013 06 02 040000 15 25 42.4 -14 11 30   0.040   1.052  160.6  18.7  10.7
2013 06 02 050000 15 26 54.6 -13 59 06   0.040   1.052  160.7  18.6  10.7
2013 06 02 060000 15 28 06.4 -13 46 42   0.040   1.052  160.8  18.4  10.7
2013 06 02 070000 15 29 18.0 -13 34 18   0.040   1.052  160.9  18.3  10.7
2013 06 02 080000 15 30 29.2 -13 21 56   0.040   1.052  161.1  18.2  10.7
2013 06 02 090000 15 31 40.1 -13 09 34   0.040   1.052  161.2  18.1  10.7
2013 06 02 100000 15 32 50.6 -12 57 14   0.040   1.052  161.3  18.0  10.7
2013 06 02 110000 15 34 00.9 -12 44 54   0.040   1.053  161.4  17.9  10.7
2013 06 02 120000 15 35 10.8 -12 32 36   0.040   1.053  161.4  17.9  10.7
2013 06 02 130000 15 36 20.4 -12 20 19   0.041   1.053  161.5  17.8  10.7
2013 06 02 140000 15 37 29.6 -12 08 03   0.041   1.053  161.6  17.7  10.7
2013 06 02 150000 15 38 38.6 -11 55 49   0.041   1.053  161.7  17.6  10.7
2013 06 02 160000 15 39 47.2 -11 43 36   0.041   1.053  161.7  17.6  10.7
2013 06 02 170000 15 40 55.4 -11 31 25   0.041   1.053  161.8  17.5  10.7
2013 06 02 180000 15 42 03.4 -11 19 15   0.041   1.053  161.9  17.5  10.7
2013 06 02 190000 15 43 11.0 -11 07 07   0.041   1.053  161.9  17.4  10.7
2013 06 02 200000 15 44 18.2 -10 55 01   0.041   1.053  161.9  17.4  10.7
2013 06 02 210000 15 45 25.2 -10 42 56   0.041   1.053  162.0  17.3  10.7
2013 06 02 220000 15 46 31.7 -10 30 54   0.041   1.054  162.0  17.3  10.7
2013 06 02 230000 15 47 38.0 -10 18 53   0.041   1.054  162.0  17.3  10.7
2013 06 03 000000 15 48 43.9 -10 06 55   0.041   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 010000 15 49 49.5 -09 54 58   0.041   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 020000 15 50 54.7 -09 43 04   0.041   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 030000 15 51 59.6 -09 31 12   0.042   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 040000 15 53 04.2 -09 19 22   0.042   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 050000 15 54 08.4 -09 07 35   0.042   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 060000 15 55 12.3 -08 55 50   0.042   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 070000 15 56 15.8 -08 44 07   0.042   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 080000 15 57 19.0 -08 32 27   0.042   1.054  162.1  17.2  10.7
2013 06 03 090000 15 58 21.9 -08 20 49   0.042   1.055  162.0  17.3  10.7
2013 06 03 100000 15 59 24.4 -08 09 14   0.042   1.055  162.0  17.3  10.8
2013 06 03 110000 16 00 26.6 -07 57 41   0.042   1.055  162.0  17.3  10.8
2013 06 03 120000 16 01 28.4 -07 46 12   0.042   1.055  161.9  17.3  10.8
2013 06 03 130000 16 02 29.9 -07 34 44   0.042   1.055  161.9  17.4  10.8

Blobrana · L

NASA Radar Reveals Asteroid Has Its Own Moon

A sequence of radar images of asteroid 1998 QE2 was obtained on the evening of May 29, 2013, by NASA scientists using the 70-meter Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., when the asteroid was about 6 million kilometres from Earth, which is 15.6 lunar distances.
The radar imagery revealed that 1998 QE2 is a binary asteroid. In the near-Earth population, about 16 percent of asteroids that are about 200 meters or larger are binary or triple systems. Radar images suggest that the main body, or primary, is approximately 2.7 kilometres in diameter and has a rotation period of less than four hours. Also revealed in the radar imagery of 1998 QE2 are several dark surface features that suggest large concavities. The preliminary estimate for the size of the asteroid's satellite, or moon, is approximately 600 meters wide.
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Blobrana · L

Spoiler

Credit Kennedyand King

Blobrana · L

Asteroid 1998 QE2 to Sail Past Earth Nine Times Larger Than Cruise Ship

On May 31, 2013, asteroid 1998 QE2 will sail serenely past Earth, getting no closer than about 5.8 million kilometers, or about 15 times the distance between Earth and the moon. And while QE2 is not of much interest to those astronomers and scientists on the lookout for hazardous asteroids, it is of interest to those who dabble in radar astronomy and have a 70-metre -- or larger -- radar telescope at their disposal.
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Blobrana · L

The 1300 - 3000 metre wide asteroid 1998 QE2 will make a close pass (15.2 lunar distances, 0.0392 AU), travelling at 10.58 km/second, to the Earth-Moon system on the 31st May, 2013 @ 20:59 UT ±00:01.

The Lunar Distance (LD), the distance between Earth and the Moon, equals 384,401 km, (or 0.00256 AU).