The University of Hawaii announced on Friday that the UKIRT telescope on Maunakea is, officially, to be decommissioned: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/06/27/uh-to-decommission-3rd-maunakea-telescope/ UKIRT once stood for “United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope.” Which may have you thinking, “wait- why is the University of Hawaii telling… Read More »Infrared Telescope ‘Insolvent’
Astronomy and Astrophysics for June (vol. 699) is shorter than usual. Still, consider the following: Smirnov, E. A. Chaotic diffusion and transient resonance captures of the near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 A26 202554489 Zhang, Y. Xu, Y-B. Qi, Z. et al. … Read More »Note, Paper: NEO Heat-Pieces
Okay, one more Rubin Observatory post: gizmodo.com/rubin-observatorys-stunning-result-proves-its-a-game-changer-for-spotting-dangerous-asteroids-2000621581 I’ve already posted that the Vera Rubin Observatory will be– and now demonstrates it is– the new and undisputed champion of asteroid discovery. Let the conspiracy theory nuts take heed: NASA is not… Read More »Vera Rubin Upstanding
2024 YR4 aside (no, it will NOT kill you), we should give asteroids their proper due. Asteroids are clues left over from the early Solar System, and contain presolar grains (crystals that predate the Sun and planets). Asteroids (the NEOs-… Read More »Happy Asteroid Day!
Besides Science, there are asteroidal works in Science Advances. In the 25 Jun (vol. 11 #26) issue: Jupiter Cheng, H. C. Klimczak, C. Matsuyama, I. Reorientation and despinning of 4 Vesta formed the Divalia Fossae ads7984 Even before the Dawn… Read More »Note, Paper: Vesta Dust-Up
In Astronomical Journal, for July (vol 170 #1): Xu, X. Wang, X. Muinonen, K. et al. Photometric Analysis of Asteroids in the Phocaea Region Art. 35 add3f4Silber, E.A. Trigo-Rodríguez, J. M. Oseghae, I. et al. Multiparameter Constraints on Empirical Infrasound… Read More »Note, Paper: Plenty Planet Pieces
See also: Day 1 The 33rd meeting of the Small Bodies Assessment Group continues. This is a somewhat shorter SBAG meeting than usual. Given the upheaval of January/February, and the budget/regulatory risk, funding could not be confidently assigned for Early… Read More »Summer 2025 SBAG Meeting, Day 2
Yes, it’s time for the 33rd Meeting of the NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG). https://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/sbagjune2025/ See the schedule: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/sbagjune2025/technical_program/?session_no=101 Really, the overarching theme was the strangling of planetary science, and not just at small bodies. We are talking about… Read More »Summer 2025 SBAG Meeting, Day 1
Clearly, no shortage of press about the Vera Rubin Observatory, but: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/science/rubin-telescope-asteroids.htmKenneth Chang Jun 23 Vera Rubin Telescope Quickly Found 1,200 New Asteroids …this one’s of particular relevance here. There was a Times story on Vera Rubin in general, and… Read More »Vera Rubin Upholding
There’s a June Cometary Science Newsletter. In short: TU Braunschweig is seeking a student/researcher for active asteroids. The Technical University of that north German town wants an additional member, full-time, for their small-body group. Have a look.