"YEAR of METEORS"!
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| NEOs Green Fireball Cluster - YES, RATS! photo credit: Takashi Shinohara, Kyoto University PNAS |
by LunarMeteorite*Hunter, Tokyo, Japan 15:39 8FEB2011 revised 20:51revised 9FEB201108:15 10FEB2011 23:42
Once again Earth will encounter an increase in meteor activity from passing detected and yet undetected NEOs (Near-Earth Objects) asteroids or their debris. Originally for February 2011 there were 20 known NEOs with scheduled approaches near Earth. Since January 1, 2011 there have been at least 28 new discoveries of NEOs to pass near Earth in February; this is an increase of over 100% in number for the month. There are as of today 48 NEOs discovered for February 2011 and it appears that there may be another 5-10 or more added by the end of the month. Due to the bright Moon for the remainder of the month several NEOs will go undiscovered until they pass, hit the Earth or pass silently by.
This increase in discoveries indicates to me that we will see a marked increase in meteor activity for February. I also expect that we will have a new meteorite this month.
Have your cameras ready and if possible get outside to watch. Expect to see worldwide several green meteor fireballs and bolides during, just prior to, and just after 19FEB-23FEB, and until the end of the month. If more findings come in about other newly found NEOs I will post. For the most current information see the NASA NEOs site: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/
If anyone captures video, a photo or has a sighting please email me at: lunarmeteoritehunter@gmail.com
48* NEOs with scheduled approaches for FEB2011
28* FEB2011 NEOs Discovered JUST in 2011 revised 15FEB2011
| RECENT CLOSE APPROACHES TO EARTH | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers
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UPCOMING CLOSE APPROACHES TO EARTH * subject to change without advance notice
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers
1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers
| Object Name | Close Approach Date | Miss Distance (AU) | Miss Distance (LD) | Estimated Diameter* | H (mag) | Relative Velocity (km/s) |
| (2000 EF104) | 2011-Feb-14 | 0.1834 | 71.4 | 450 m - 1.0 km | 18.8 | 13.23 |
| (2009 QH6) | 2011-Feb-16 | 0.0411 | 16.0 | 77 m - 170 m | 22.7 | 9.83 |
| (2008 AH33) | 2011-Feb-17 | 0.1232 | 47.9 | 370 m - 820 m | 19.3 | 22.97 |
| (2008 BP16) | 2011-Feb-17 | 0.1107 | 43.1 | 130 m - 280 m | 21.6 | 21.28 |
| (2010 CN19) | 2011-Feb-18 | 0.1869 | 72.7 | 15 m - 33 m | 26.3 | 16.41 |
| (2011 CF50) | 2011-Feb-19 | 0.0456 | 17.7 | 11 m - 25 m | 26.9 | 8.33 |
| (2011 CM50) | 2011-Feb-19 | 0.1785 | 69.5 | 73 m - 160 m | 22.8 | 10.50 |
| (2011 CL50) | 2011-Feb-19 | 0.0160 | 6.2 | 8.0 m - 18 m | 27.6 | 3.07 |
| (2011 CE50) | 2011-Feb-20 | 0.1635 | 63.6 | 60 m - 130 m | 23.2 | 8.86 |
| 253841 (2003 YG118) | 2011-Feb-20 | 0.1739 | 67.7 | 1.1 km - 2.4 km | 17.0 | 20.83 |
| (2003 FC5) | 2011-Feb-22 | 0.1440 | 56.0 | 600 m - 1.3 km | 18.2 | 11.83 |
| (2011 BQ50) | 2011-Feb-23 | 0.0280 | 10.9 | 5.7 m - 13 m | 28.3 | 2.45 |
| (2007 MR) | 2011-Feb-23 | 0.1826 | 71.1 | 110 m - 250 m | 21.9 | 5.99 |
| (2011 CK50) | 2011-Feb-24 | 0.1452 | 56.5 | 39 m - 88 m | 24.2 | 7.39 |
| (2011 AG5) | 2011-Feb-26 | 0.0957 | 37.2 | 110 m - 250 m | 21.9 | 7.51 |
| (2004 EK1) | 2011-Feb-26 | 0.0555 | 21.6 | 110 m - 250 m | 21.9 | 7.45 |
| (2006 KV89) | 2011-Feb-27 | 0.1639 | 63.8 | 150 m - 350 m | 21.2 | 6.67 |
| (2009 PQ1) | 2011-Feb-27 | 0.1205 | 46.9 | 83 m - 190 m | 22.5 | 17.40 |
| (2009 FY4) | 2011-Feb-28 | 0.0659 | 25.7 | 160 m - 370 m | 21.0 | 15.17 |
