Earth Nears Asteroid Toutatis
Credit & Copyright: E. De Jong and S. Suzuki,
JPL,
NASA
Explanation:
On November 29, 1996 the Earth came within 3.3 million miles of the
asteroid Toutatis.
Above is a
computer simulated picture of this spectacle
from the surface of Toutatis
(a 2.5 degree field of view looking toward Earth).
In Earth's sky, Toutatis appeared
only as a faint object moving against a background of stars.
Also known as Earth-crossing asteroid 4179,
Toutatis is in an eccentric 4 year orbit
which moves it from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter to just
inside Earth's orbit.
When the Earth passed near it
in 1992 Toutatis was
imaged by radar
and seen to be two irregularly shaped lumps,
perhaps joined by a narrow neck.
This bizarre object is up to 1.5 miles wide, 2.9 miles long, and is
tumbling through space.
In the year 2004, on September 29, the Earth will pass
very near Toutatis, closing to within
a million miles (4 times the Earth-Moon distance) -
the closest approach predicted for any
asteroid or comet between now and 2060.
Studies of Toutatis and other
Earth-crossing asteroids help reveal
connections between the Solar System's
meteorites,main-belt asteroids
and comets.
These wayward asteroids also offer tantalizing
targets for robotic exploration and, over time, represent
potential collision hazards for planet Earth!
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
