Fake asteroid? NASA expert IDs mystery object as old rocket

phys.org ^ | October 11, 2020 | Marcia Dunn

[BenLurkin]

Instead of a cosmic rock, the newly discovered object appears to be an old rocket from a failed moon-landing mission 54 years ago that's finally making its way back home, according to NASA's leading asteroid expert. Observations should help nail its identity.

2020 SO, as it is formally known, is actually the Centaur upper rocket stage that successfully propelled NASA's Surveyor 2 lander to the moon in 1966 before it was discarded. The lander ended up crashing into the moon after one of its thrusters failed to ignite on the way there. The rocket, meanwhile, swept past the moon and into orbit around the sun as intended junk, never to be seen again—until perhaps now.

A telescope in Hawaii last month discovered the mystery object heading our way while doing a search intended to protect our planet from doomsday rocks. The object promptly was added to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center's tally of asteroids and comets found in our solar system, just 5,000 shy of the 1 million mark.

The object is estimated to be roughly 26 feet (8 meters) based on its brightness. That's in the ballpark of the old Centaur, which would be less than 32 feet (10 meters) long including its engine nozzle and 10 feet (3 meters) in diameter.

[dfwgator]

“It looks like a giant....”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYSOmYyNHpU

[Ben Dover]

That’s what the aliens want us to think.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

It’s the “old junk rocket disguised as an asteroid trick” - Don Adams.

[UnwashedPeasant]

I think this was in a Twilight Zone episode.

[minnesota_bound]

It could be a Goa’uld spaceship.
Stargate command is just putting out a cover story.

[Ezekiel]

[BradyLS]

I think ʻOumuamua was the alien spacecraft playing possum as a passing interstellar asteroid.

[NonValueAdded]

“I’m baaaaaack”

[Pontiac]

Last year, a British amateur astronomer, Nick Howes, announced that an asteroid in solar orbit was likely the abandoned lunar module from NASA's Apollo 10, a rehearsal for the Apollo 11 moon landing.

I predict that someday and enterprising scraper will capture that lander and sell it at Christie’s for an astronomical amount of money.

[Paul R.]

Ah, yes! “You Only Live Twice”.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Over here:

https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2020%20SO;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb

Above “Orbital Elements” Click the link “Show Orbit Diagram”. You can change the time step and viewing location and angle.

Have fun!

[CopperTop]

Que up Wang Chung Space Junk", please.. d;^)

[Tanniker Smith]

I was looking for the “Like” button.

[BradyLS]

That would be something else!

[Trillian]

Interesting.