Thursday, January 05, 2012
Unknown
On January 31, 2012, the asteroid Eros will pass the Earth at 0,179 AU (26,800,000 km away), approximately 70 times the distance between us and the Moon, with a visual magnitude of 8.1 (see Astronomical calendar for 2012).
Eros is a piece of rock of 33 x 13 x 13 km, temperature range from -150 degrees Celsius and 100 degrees Celsius. It is not round, but is instead an odd shape like a peanut, and rotates once every 5.27 hours.
Near Shoemaker probe visited Eros twice, first in 1998 when passed it, and then orbiting it in 2000, when Near Shoemaker photographed its surface. On 12 February 2001, at the end of its mission, the probe landed on the asteroid's surface, using jet maneuvers.
Next astronomical event in 2012: March 3, 2012 - Mars in opposition
For those who like my astro pictures or my articles, it woul be great if you could pay attention on advertising that appear in the blog by a click and maybe one day I could buy a better telescope.
Posted in: Astronomy news
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