We have initial data from the Lucy mission, and its Sunday flyby of asteroid (52246) Donaldjohanson. We knew it was an elongated asteroid beforehand, and it turns out imagery confirms this (rather than, say, a close binary system, or something… Read More »Lucy Flyby Update 2
That Robin Andrews is a busy writer: April 16, 2025 Robin George Andrews www.newscientist.com/article/2476805-the-race-to-visit-the-asteroid-making-the-closest-pass-by-earth/ Asteroid (99942) Apophis was, a generation ago, calculated to have a slight chance of hitting Earth, in 2029. At under a kilometer in size, it would… Read More »Apophis Mission Grist
As of Monday, April 21, the Lucy probe has reported it survived and is functioning. Data from asteroid Donaldjohanson now transmitting.
Some things in AJ (Astronomical Journal) for May (vol. 169 #5): Vokrouhlický, D. Nesvorný, D. Broz, M. et al. Orbital and Absolute Magnitude Distribution of Hilda Population 242 adbe7bHora, J. L. Allen, A. J. Trilling, D. E. et al. Infrared… Read More »Note, Paper: Taking Faint Game
An ‘inhuman’-interest piece in MIT Technology Review: April 14, 2025 Robin George Andrews Meet the researchers testing the “Armageddon” approach to asteroid defense www.technologyreview.com/2025/04/14/1114306/space-nuclear-explosion-asteroid-protection-research/ Don’t accuse me of fearmongering just because I include planetary defense coverage in the wider small-body… Read More »Hammer of the ‘Don
In light of the Lucy mission’s asteroid flyby tomorrow (1:51 PM EDT), it’s time for another batch of papers from Planetary Science Journal. In volume 6: Runyon, K. D. Durda, D. D. Klein, V. et al. Methods for Experimental Planetary… Read More »Note, Paper: Pre-Flyby Write
Two papers to report in the May issue of New Astronomy (vol. 116): Agbogidi, B. R. Vincent, A. E. Afere, B. A. E. et al. Equilibrium points in the perturbed rotating mass dipole system with oblateness art. 102344 .2024.102344Wang, N.… Read More »Note, Paper: Slew Astronomy
One (serious) Planetary and Space Science paper for May (vol. 259): Marschall, R. Morbidelli, A. Marrocchi, Y. The refractory-to-ice ratio in comet 67P: Implications on the composition of the comet-forming region of the protoplanetary disk Art. 106061 .2501.17864 To bystanders,… Read More »Note, Paper: Hydration Implications
Oops, missed Astrophysical Journal Letters for April 10 (vol. 983, #1): Mousis, O. Werlen, A. Benest Couzinou, T. et al. Primordial Origin of Methane on Eris and Makemake Supported by D/H Ratios L12 adc134Lim, B. Ishiguro, M. Takahashi, J. et… Read More »Note, Paper: Outerphys Journ
Wow, asteroids made a Nature-family journal, and not Nature Astronomy. In Scientific Reports vol. 15 #1: Shimizu, Y. Miyamoto, H. Michel, P. Diverse evolutionary pathways of spheroidal asteroids driven by rotation rate Art. 10284 s41598-025-94574-1 Not only are there fast-rotator… Read More »Note, Paper: Nature of Rotators