Close, but not that close: Asteroid passed by Earth on May 31, 2013

Asteroid 1998 QE2 made its closest pass to Earth yesterday on May 31. The BBC reports that it measured nearly 2.7 kilometres (1.7 miles) across and is so large that it is orbited by its own moon. It passed by Earth at 20:50 GMT, but it was not dangerously close. There was never any likelihood that it would hit Earth. It was 5.8 million kilometres (3.6 million miles) away.

However, coming so close to Earth gave scientists the chance to observe it. Using radar telescopes (it was not visible to the naked eye), scientists recorded a series of high-resolution images. It appears to a relatively dark asteroid, said Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, astronomer at Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland. The small moon that is orbiting the asteroid is about 600 metres (2,000 feet) across (in diameter). It is not unusual for an asteroid to have a moon (known as a “binary” system) – about 15% of asteroids have a moon. Astronomers have already seen more than 9,000 near-Earth asteroids, and they see about 800 new space rocks on average each year.

Friday’s fly-by will be the asteroid 1998 QE2’s closest approach for at least 200 years.

Comet ISON is also being tracked by astronomers. At the moment, the comet is near the planet Jupiter. By October 2013, the comet will be passing by the planet Mars. It will be very close to Mars’ Moons on October 5. On November 3, 2013, Comet ISON will be passing Earth (but not near it) before heading toward Venus about a week later. Near November 28, the comet will go around the Sun.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22736709

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

Flaws in the Glass, a self-portrait by Patrick White: book review

The manuscript, Flaws in the Glass (1981), is Patrick Victor Martindale White’s autobiography. White, born in 1912 in England, migrated to Sydney, Australia, when he was six months old. For three years, at the age of 20, he studied French and German literature at King’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. Throughout his life, he published 12 novels. In 1957 he won the inaugural Miles Franklin Literary Award for Voss, published in 1956. In 1961, Riders in the Chariot became a best-seller, winning the Miles Franklin Literary Award. In 1973, he was the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for The Eye of the Storm, despite many critics describing his works as ‘un-Australian’ and himself as ‘Australia’s most unreadable novelist.’ In 1979, The Twyborn Affair was short-listed for the Booker Prize, but he withdrew it from the competition to give younger writers the opportunity to win the award. His autobiography, Flaws in the Glass...

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog