Comet Toutatis?

wrote in message
...

Hello,

I have seen several net articles now on a comet named Toutatis that is
supposed to pass earth very closely this month.
At the same time, articles say this is a most unpredictable comet.

So I thought I'd ask the more knowledgeable folks.... what is the word
about this comet, please.

StarryNite
I think they are confusing an asteroid, with a comet...
4179 Toutatis, is a NEO, which will pass very close to the Earth, at the
end of September. Have a look at:
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/images/toutatis.html
The fly-by being referred to here, was a couple of passes ago. It comes
close every four years. It has a very 'odd' shape, and the orbit has been
a bit erratic based on past measurements. Following more accurate
positional measurements, and radar mapping, the expected distance, has
been revised slightly from earlier estimates. The estimates are at:
http://www.compulink.co.uk/~sjbradsh.../asteroid.html
http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~hudson/Rese...oids/index.htm
The 'change', is a tiny percentage of it's expected distance from the
Earth.

Best Wishes

On Mon, 13 Sep 2004 14:22:09 GMT, "Roger Hamlett"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .

Hello,

I have seen several net articles now on a comet named Toutatis that is
supposed to pass earth very closely this month.
At the same time, articles say this is a most unpredictable comet.

So I thought I'd ask the more knowledgeable folks.... what is the word
about this comet, please.

StarryNite
I think they are confusing an asteroid, with a comet...
4179 Toutatis, is a NEO, which will pass very close to the Earth, at the
end of September. Have a look at:
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/images/toutatis.html
The fly-by being referred to here, was a couple of passes ago. It comes
close every four years. It has a very 'odd' shape, and the orbit has been
a bit erratic based on past measurements. Following more accurate
positional measurements, and radar mapping, the expected distance, has
been revised slightly from earlier estimates. The estimates are at:
http://www.compulink.co.uk/~sjbradsh.../asteroid.html
http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~hudson/Rese...oids/index.htm
The 'change', is a tiny percentage of it's expected distance from the
Earth.

Best Wishes


Thanks so much ... asteroid, not comet... and the links. I'll go read
them right now. Thanks again.
StarryNite

wrote in news:2v9bk05nrv1evo42b5ro90v86eud1ds8f1@
4ax.com:

I have seen several net articles now on a comet named Toutatis that is
supposed to pass earth very closely this month.
At the same time, articles say this is a most unpredictable comet.

So I thought I'd ask the more knowledgeable folks.... what is the word
about this comet, please.

"Close" is a relative term. Do you consider Los Angeles to be "close" to
New York? How about Sydney? This pass of the asteroid Toutatis will be at
a distance roughly 4 times farther away than the Moon, or 130 times the
distance between Los Angeles and Sydney.

Do you feel safer now?

wrote in message
...

I have seen several net articles now on a comet named Toutatis that is
supposed to pass earth very closely this month.
At the same time, articles say this is a most unpredictable comet.

It's an asteroid, and it's not unpredictable.

It's coming within a million miles, 4 times the distance of the Moon. No
danger to Earth this time, but still, a good example of how one day it could
hit Earth.

Note that this is the closest it's come since the 1300's, and the next time
it passes this close will be in the 2600's or so.

Basically, this is the closest a big asteroid will come to us in the the
next 500+ years, so it is an occasion of note.