The 365 Days of Astronomy Travelers in the Night Eps. 319 & 320: Lost and Found & WOW! What a Ride!
Jun 15, 2025
Asteroid tracking is full of surprises and challenges. Observers only catch glimpses of an asteroid's long journey, making precise location tricky. Excitingly, a newly discovered asteroid could provide thrilling exploration opportunities, all while assuring us it will safely miss Earth. The show dives into the significance of this collaborative work in the search for potential resources in space and the future of space colonization. These adventures truly highlight the wonders of astronomy!
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Orbit Tracklets Limit Precision
- Observing only a short tracklet of an asteroid's orbit reduces precision for locating it over time.
- Loss of position knowledge happens as time since last observation increases significantly.
Rediscovering Asteroid 2001 WF-49
- Richard Kowalski discovered a moving light then linked it to asteroid 2001 WF-49, observed first 15 years ago.
- 2001 WF-49 is 426 feet wide and orbits the Sun every 238 days, crossing near Earth multiple times since 1900.
Mining Potential of 2001 WF-49
- Asteroid 2001 WF-49 orbits close to Mercury and is likely rocky or metallic to survive solar proximity.
- This makes it a potential candidate for future space mining resources.