Posted on 12/10/2017 6:41:56 AM PST by BenLurkin
3200 Phaethon was the first asteroid to be discovered via spacecraft on October 11, 1983. Astronomers Simon F. Green and John K. Davies noticed it while searching Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) data for moving objects. Charles T. Kowal confirmed it optically and said it was asteroid-like in appearance. The object received the provisional designation 1983 TB. Two years later, in 1985, using the convention for naming asteroids, astronomers assigned it its number and name: 3200 Phaethon.
An interesting feature of the orbit of 3200 Phaethon is that it comes very close to the sun, closer than any other named asteroid (though there are numerous unnamed asteroids that do sweep closer to the sun). That’s why it was given the name Phaethon, for the mythological son of the Greek sun god Helios.
Today, it’s classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, which doesn’t mean it’s a threat to Earth. It just means two things. First, 3200 Phaethon is big – about 3 miles (5 km) wide – big enough to cause significant regional damage if it were to strike Earth. Second, it’s known to make periodic close approaches to Earth. A “close approach” in 2017 means 26 times farther than the moon. And, by the way, the orbit of 3200 Phaethon is exceedingly well studied, and astronomers know of no upcoming strike by this object in this foreseeable future.
In fact, in December 2017 – according to NASA NEO Earth Close Approaches – there are no fewer than 30 objects that’ll come closer than 3200 Phaethon. The closest of these will be 2017 WV12, a 20- to 40-meter-wide object that’s miss us by about a million miles (1.6 million km) on December 9.
(Excerpt) Read more at earthsky.org ...
What will happen?
BPEarthwatch will once again insist that asteroids and comets cause earthquakes on earth.
What’ll happen when 3200 Phaethon sweeps past Earth? Nothing!
Well, shtfplan,com (btw, I love that website) will sell a lot of freeze-dried food off the fear mongering but otherwise, yeah..nuthin'.
What will happen?
There will be barely readable flux in the gravitational field.
This is a no news event.
A “close approach” in 2017 means 26 times farther than the moon.”
Can professional astronomers TRY to clamp down on this constant stupidity of telling the press that (x object) is going to make a “close” approach with Earth?
I dont care if it is in “astronomical terms”. It isn’t close, it isn’t a danger, and it makes you guys look like sensationalists.
Nothing as long as it doesn’t hit us.
People will sneeze more frequently due to the tidal effects on nose hair.
In an astounding coincidence, the 1000 foot wide asteroid known as 99942 Apophis was struck by a very small asteroid knocking it out of its predicted orbit and sending it careening into the three mile wide asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Both asteroids then took up new orbits, both of which intersect Earth’s orbit at roughly the same time, perhaps separated by a decade or two. We’ll know more after Apophis hits. Stay tuned ...
I bet they’re falsies.
What it DOES mean is that it is time for the Geminid Meteor shower.
If you are going to look at one shower in a year, THIS is the one to watch.
Last time I got to look, it was spectacular.
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