18 August 2012

Late August 2012 NEOs Close Encounter May Spark Some Meteor Activity

Late August 2012 NEOs Close Encounter May??? Spark Some Meteor Activity

  Some new NEOs have just been discovered.  Nothing very big coming nearby.  With the night sky not being brightly lit by the Moon I expect that researchers will find even more for the end of this month and coming September 2012.  Grab a lawnchair, blanket, bug spray and lay back and watch the show!  As always a dark sky is best.  Keep looking up!
-LunarMeteorite*Hunter - Tokyo, Japan

*Note: Mouse over the NEO Object Names to read more clearly; all are linked to more information from NASA and JPL so click at will!

Additional Update on 26AUG2012
(2012 QZ16) 2012-Aug-300.01797.020 m - 46 m25.613.20


Update (19AUG2012):  Another NEO, (2012 QV2), discovered:
(2012 QV2) 2012-Aug-260.027010.543 m - 96 m24.09.51

UPCOMING CLOSE APPROACHES TO EARTH
AU = ~150 million kilometers
1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers
Object
Name
Close
Approach
Date
CA
Distance*
(AU)
CA
Distance*
(LD)
Estimated
Diameter**
H
(mag)
Relative
Velocity
(km/s)
(2012 OP4) 2012-Aug-180.104040.5280 m - 620 m19.922.56
(2008 TC4) 2012-Aug-180.193775.4140 m - 300 m21.517.34
(2012 PD20) 2012-Aug-180.02489.622 m - 50 m25.46.07
(2012 PN6) 2012-Aug-180.145556.693 m - 210 m22.316.04
(2012 PY19) 2012-Aug-180.028211.07.6 m - 17 m27.73.46
(2006 CV) 2012-Aug-200.174467.9290 m - 640 m19.813.24
(2008 QB) 2012-Aug-200.090635.3190 m - 420 m20.830.38
(2012 EC) 2012-Aug-200.081531.756 m - 130 m23.45.57
162421 (2000 ET70) 2012-Aug-210.150358.5670 m - 1.5 km18.012.92
(2007 WU3) 2012-Aug-210.195476.056 m - 120 m23.45.25
(2012 BB14) 2012-Aug-240.123448.027 m - 60 m25.02.58
(2012 FM52) 2012-Aug-250.059923.3510 m - 1.1 km18.617.17
(2012 PP24) 2012-Aug-250.151458.9100 m - 230 m22.14.75
66146 (1998 TU3) 2012-Aug-250.126549.23.0 km - 6.8 km14.716.03
(2009 AV) 2012-Aug-260.161562.8650 m - 1.5 km18.022.51
331769 (2003 BQ35) 2012-Aug-280.158561.7240 m - 530 m20.24.64
(2010 SC) 2012-Aug-280.167965.316 m - 36 m26.19.56
4769 Castalia 2012-Aug-280.113544.21.4 km16.912.06

Just Passed NEOs Activity
RECENT CLOSE APPROACHES TO EARTH
AU = ~150 million kilometers
1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers
Object
Name
Close
Approach
Date
CA
Distance*
(AU)
CA
Distance*
(LD)
Estimated
Diameter**
H
(mag)
Relative
Velocity
(km/s)
(2012 PC20) 2012-Aug-080.183171.3140 m - 320 m21.37.60
(2009 BW2) 2012-Aug-090.033713.125 m - 56 m25.15.27
277475 (2005 WK4) 2012-Aug-090.128349.9270 m - 600 m20.06.18
(2004 SC56) 2012-Aug-090.081131.674 m - 170 m22.810.57
332446 (2008 AF4) 2012-Aug-100.193675.3310 m - 690 m19.716.05
37655 Illapa 2012-Aug-120.095137.0770 m - 1.7 km17.728.73
(2012 PZ17) 2012-Aug-120.00773.012 m - 26 m26.83.56
(2012 HS15) 2012-Aug-140.180470.2200 m - 460 m20.611.54
(2012 PH6) 2012-Aug-160.188073.2160 m - 370 m21.012.19
4581 Asclepius 2012-Aug-160.107942.0220 m - 490 m20.413.48
Source: NASA/JPL http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/

2012 THE Year of Meteors!