Posted on 09/10/2013 9:09:42 AM PDT by BenLurkin
3200 Phaethon, an asteroid that is actually behaving like a comet. Scientists found dust that is streaming from this space rock as it gets close to the sun — similarly to how ices melt and form a tail as comets zoom by our closest stellar neighbor.
Phaethon’s orbit puts it in the same originating region as other asteroids (between Mars and Jupiter), but its dust stream is much closer to actions performed by a comet — an object that typically comes from an icy region way beyond Neptune. So far, therefore, the research team is calling Phaethon a “rock comet.” And after first proposing a theory a few years ago, they now have observations as to what may be going on.
The answer lies in just how close Phaethon whizzes past the sun. At perihelion, its closest approach to the sun, it only appears eight degrees (16 solar diameters) away from the sun in Earth’s sky. This close distance makes it all but impossible to study the asteroid without special equipment, which is why STEREO came in so handy.
When Phaethon reaches its closest approach of 0.14 Earth-sun distances, surface temperatures rise above an estimated 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit (700 degrees Celsius). It’ s way too hot for ice, as what happens with a comet. In fact, it’s probably hot enough to make the rocks crack and break apart. The researchers publicly hypothesized this was happening at least as far back as 2010, but this finding provided more evidence to support that theory.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
“3200 Phaethon, an asteroid that is actually behaving like a comet.”
Next thing you know it’ll be declared a transgender asteroid!
Change its name to ‘Chelsea’ Phaethon?
Ditka.
I’m guessing its a dusty asteroid.
saw it skimming
underneath the radar
lots of dust trails
shootin past venus
somebody looked through a scope lens
and there they saw a rock
it was a rock comet
/b-52s
So, what's on their 2014 "Tour" ?
It’s either a Cometoid, or an asteromet.
Ah yes ...something to get the foot tapping....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2V2h_Bd_Gg
Brutha to anotha mutha ass-roid Trayvon 420?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
