For asteroid astronomers:
A new small potential impactor, #C43XT81, was just announced - https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/scout/#/object/C43XT81
If it impacts, that will be in 3.5 - 4.5 hours from this writing.
I assume that follow-up is already happening?
A new small potential impactor, #C43XT81, was just announced - https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/scout/#/object/C43XT81
If it impacts, that will be in 3.5 - 4.5 hours from this writing.
I assume that follow-up is already happening?
Comments
It passed by about 1400 km above the ground.
Its close approach today has now been measured to have been 7726 ± 2 km from Earth's center of mass.
So nobody would have been going after the rocks.
Surveys find object candidates and give them labels.
Those that are confirmed to be newly discovered asteroids are given designations of Year + Two Letters + Number As Needed.
A small fraction of those asteroids are eventually given names.