07 December 2014

The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 07DEC2014

Bigger than Apophis: Dangerous 300+ meter asteroid to cross Earth orbit every 3 years
RT.com
Scientists have calculated that 2014 UR116 asteroid will fly in dangerous proximity to Earth every three years. If it collides with the planet the energy of the explosion could be a thousand times greater than the impact of the Chelyabinsk meteorite.  Vladimir Lipunov, a leading scientist on the team which discovered the asteroid this October, says the scientists now know its orbit and its period which is 3 years, but they cannot say precisely when the asteroid will approach the Earth....

Eight billion 'dark asteroids' may lurk in Oort cloud
By Sid Perkins - Science Magazine -4 December 2014
Our solar system's asteroid belt, which lies between Mars and Jupiter, may contain a few hundred thousand objects. But much farther away, in regions long presumed to be the realm of comets and other icy bodies, there could be billions of rocky orbs circling the sun, a new study suggests. ...

Geminds meteor shower: Where, when and how can I see the annual shooting star display?
Mirror.co.uk
Wrap up warm it's that time of year when you get to see up to 100 shooting stars in the sky every HOUR. Yes, the Geminid meteorshower is upon us ...

Lights go out in South Downs as it seeks Dark Sky status
Telegraph.co.uk
They will be the best places in the country to see the annual Geminidmeteor shower which will peak between the 13th and 15th December when up to ...

Shooting Stars could be seen over Gloucestershire as Geminid meteor shower returns
Gloucestershire Echo
The meteor shower happens every December as the earth passes through a trail of debris from asteroid 3200 Phaeton as the chunks of rock and ice ...
-Derby Telegraph

Week-long Geminid meteor shower begins this weekend and could give Grimsby-area stargazers ...
Grimsby Telegraph
A spectacular meteor shower could allow stargazers in North East Lincolnshire the chance to see up to 100 shooting stars per hour has begun this ...

Week-long Geminid meteor shower begins this weekend and could give Grimsby-area stargazers ...
Grimsby Telegraph
A spectacular meteor shower could allow stargazers in North East Lincolnshire the chance to see up to 100 shooting stars per hour has begun this ...

The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 06DEC2014
Posted: 06 Dec 2014 07:35 PM PST
Meet the pope’s astronomer, who says he’d baptize an alien if given the chance National Catholic Reporter - 7 hours With Christmas just around the corner, Br. Guy Consolmagno gets a lot of questions this time of year about the star of Bethlehem that led the ...

Astronomy Picture of the Day
NASA
Astronomy Picture of the Day. Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief ...

December full moon 2014: Where to watch Gemini 'Moon Before Yule' rise live online
International Business Times UK
The Gemini full moon is set to coincide with another spectacular astronomical event, as the Geminid meteor shower will begin on Sunday 7 December. ...

Tips for enjoying the Geminids meteor shower
Boston Globe
December 13 and 14 — Peak nights for watching the Geminidsmeteor shower, considered one of the most spectacular of the year; a quarter moon ...

Asteroid Explorer "Hayabusa2"
Completion of Critical Operation Phase
December 5, 2014 (JST) -Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) confirmed the completion of a sequence of the important operations for the Asteroid Exploration "Hayabusa2" mission including the deployment of the horn part of the sampler that captures samples from the asteroid's surface, the release of the locks for the launch that ratchet the gimbal that controls the direction of the ion engine, and functional verification of the three-axis stabilization controls and the ground precision orbit determination system. With this confirmation, the critical operation phase* of the Hayabusa2 was completed. ...


2014 The Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™; Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!

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