The launch of SPHEREX has been pushed back to Tuesday night. For a quick rundown of (one of) the mission’s primary drivers, see this recent article in Science. Of course, the spacecraft and its spectrometer are useful for multiple investigations,… Read More »SPHEREx science, in Science
Coming in a few short weeks: a Chinese Space Science conference. The 2025 International Conference of Deep Space Sciences will have asteroidal relevance: [ICDSS2025] SPECIAL SESSION: APOPHIS 2029Abstract deadline: March 3, 2025 The 2025 International Conference of Deep Space Sciences… Read More »‘25 Intnl. Conf. of Deep Space Sciences
No, I did not fly to Japan. Here’s the agenda for the 2025 (and inaugural) JAXA planetary defense meeting, in conjunction with the Japan Spaceguard Association: https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/researchers/info/files/2024PDSymp_program.pdf Thursday, February 27th: International session(invited) Apophis 2029: Once-per-Millennium Knowledge Opportunity for the Science… Read More »FY2024 Planetary Defense (Spaceguard) Symposium
Just out from Space Science Reviews: Lodders, K. Bergemann, M. Palme, H. Solar System Elemental Abundances from the Solar Photosphere and CI-Chondrites art. 23 s11214-025-01146-w What’s the Solar System made of? Sounds like a simple question to ask, but a… Read More »Note, Paper: Material-ites
The BBC: kinda big. Therefore, coverage by the BBC is to be taken seriously, both inherently and in its impact on the discourse: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y494xkp3yoRannard, Georgina The asteroid hits and near-misses you never hear about Not scaremongery at all, and rather… Read More »2024 YR4 will still STILL not kill you
Only one hit in PASP (Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific) for Feb (vol. 137 #2), but what a paper: Lu, J-Q. Fan, L-L. Cai, M-X. et al. Search Capability for Near-Earth Objects with the Wide-Field Survey Telescope … Read More »Note, Paper: Pacific Deep Dive
Time for another batch of papers from Planetary Science Journal. From 2025 vol. 6 (no issues): Grewal, D. S. Manilal, V. Implications of Differentiated Late Accretion for the Volatile Inventory of the Bulk Silicate Earth art 13 ad9606Nugent, C. R. Tan,… Read More »Note, Paper: Planetary Science Volatile
Icarus is a little light this month (1 Mar, vol. 428): N. Le Beca, S.J. Conway, B. Jabaud, G. et al. A new model of crater degradation on Ceres involving ice sublimation and talus formation Article 116353Ilgmars Eglitis, Darja Svincicka Rotation… Read More »Note, Paper: I-Char-us
One (significant) paper in the current Astrophysical Journal (Feb 10, Vol 980 #1): Angrisani, M. Palomba, E. Longobardo, et al. Spectral Variations across Latitudes on Asteroid (3200) Phaethon art. 127 ada60d If you aren’t already familiar with the object (3200) Phaethon, it’s… Read More »Note, Paper: Pre-Destiny
…and speaking of negative, overhyped asteroids: the object 2024 YR4 will likely NOT cause a catastrophe. Firstly, the odds were never good to begin with: as of this past week, December 2032 impact odds were ~1.5-2 percent. Which is to… Read More »No, 2024 YR4 will NOT kill you