2008 TC3
Synodic rotation period | 0.0269409 h (1.61645 min)[1] | |
0.1±0.03 | ||
F/M | ||
30.4[1] | ||
2008 TC3 (
It was the first time that an
Discovery
The asteroid was discovered by
It was notable as the first such body to be observed and tracked prior to reaching Earth.[6] The process of detecting and tracking a near-Earth object, an effort sometimes referred to as Spaceguard, was put to the test. In total, 586 astrometric and almost as many photometric observations were performed by 27 amateur and professional observers in less than 19 hours and reported to the Minor Planet Center, which in eleven hours issued 25 Minor Planet Electronic Circulars with new orbit solutions as observations poured in. On October 7, 01:49 UTC,[9] the asteroid entered the shadow of the Earth, which made further observations impossible.
Impact predictions were performed by University of Pisa's CLOMON 2 semi-automatic monitoring system[10][11] as well as Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Sentry system. Spectral observations that were performed by astronomers at the 4.2-meter William Herschel Telescope at La Palma, Canary Islands are consistent with either a C-type or M-type asteroid.
Entry
The
The trajectory showed intersection with Earth's surface at roughly 20°18′N 33°30′E / 20.3°N 33.5°E
According to U.S. government sources[20][21] U.S. satellites detected the impact at 02:45:40 UT, with the initial detection at 20°54′N 31°24′E / 20.9°N 31.4°E at 65.4 kilometers (40.6 mi; 35.3 nmi) altitude and final explosion at 20°48′N 32°12′E / 20.8°N 32.2°E at 37 kilometers (23 mi; 20 nmi) altitude. These images have not been publicly released.
Recovered fragments
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: In 2022, Bischoff et al. concluded that the meteorite's classification as a ureilite may not be correct.[1] Their findings and the impact they may have on the 2009 Jenniskens study need to be incorporated. (November 2023) |
A search of the impact zone that began on December 6, 2008, turned up 10.5 kilograms (23 lb) of rock in some 600 fragments. These
Samples of the Almahata Sitta meteorite were sent for analysis to a consortium of researchers led by Jenniskens, the Almahata Sitta consortium, including
Richard Kowalski, who discovered the object, received a tiny fragment of Almahatta Sitta, a gift from friends and well-wishers on the Minor Planet Mailing List, which Kowalski founded in order to help connect professional and amateur astronomers.[32]
Gallery
-
Meteosat 8/EUMETSAT visual image of first light flare from 2008 TC3 with lat/long reference
-
Meteosat 8/EUMETSAT IR image of main fireball from 2008 TC3
-
Meteosat images combined, showing offset from first light flare to main IR flare
See also
- Asteroid impact prediction
- 1972 Great Daylight Fireball
- 2014 AA
- 2018 LA
- 2019 MO
- 2022 EB5
- 2022 WJ1
- 2023 CX1
- Impact event
- List of notable asteroids
- WT1190F
References
- ^ a b c "JPL Small-Body Database Browser: (2008 TC3)" (last observation: October 7, 2008; arc: 1 day). Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ a b c
Jenniskens, P.; et al. (2009). "The impact and recovery of asteroid 2008 TC3". S2CID 7976525.
- ^ Plait, P. (October 6, 2008). "Incoming!!!". Bad Astronomy. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ Chang, K. (March 25, 2009). "Recovered Pieces of Asteroid Hold Clues to Early History". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2009.
- The Associated Press. Archived from the originalon March 29, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
- ^ a b Roylance, F. (October 7, 2008). "Predicted meteor may have been sighted". Maryland Weather. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ Williams, G. V. (October 6, 2008). "MPEC 2008-T50". Minor Planet Center. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ Huntington, J. (October 7, 2008). "Small Asteroid Enters Earth's Atmosphere". eFluxMedia. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ a b
Chesley, S.; Chodas, P.; Yeomans, D. (November 4, 2008). "Asteroid 2008 TC3 Strikes Earth: Predictions and Observations Agree". Near Earth Object Program. NASA. Archived from the originalon June 18, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
- ^ "NEODys Main Risk Page". Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ "NEODys 2008 TC3 page". Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ "Astronomers predict shooting star over Sudan from space boulder". Agence France-Presse. October 6, 2008. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ Simon, P. (October 8, 2008). "Weather Eye: NASA spots asteroid before annihilation". The Times. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^
Javaux, G. "2008 TC3... Première détection d'un astéroïde avant son impact sur Terre... quelques heures plus tard" (in French). Retrieved September 15, 2009.
Une webcam de surveillance, située sur la plage de la Mer Rouge à El Gouna en Egypte, a enregistré indirectement le flash de l'explosion qui s'est produit à environ 725 km plus au sud.
- ^ "Asteroid Impact". SpaceWeather.com. October 8, 2008. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^ "m8 HRV 200810070245". October 8, 2008. Archived from the original on October 17, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^
"Impact of Asteroid 2008 TC3 Confirmed". Near Earth Object Program. October 7, 2008. Archived from the originalon October 10, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
- ^
Borenstein, S. (October 6, 2008). "Small Asteroid Headed for Light Show Over Africa". The Associated Press. Retrieved September 15, 2009. [dead link]
- ^ Mike (October 6, 2008). "Very near NEO Meteoroid impact!". MKVH.de. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008.
- ^ "Asteroid Update". SpaceWeather.com. October 15, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- ^ "Fireball detection". University of Western Ontario. October 15, 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
- ^
"Almahata Sitta". Meteoritical Bulletin Database. August 12, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- ^ Gebauer, S. (April 16, 2008). "Station Nr. 6. – Nubian Desert". Panoramio. Archived from the original on December 30, 2008. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- ^ "NASA Team Finds Riches in Meteorite Treasure Hunt". NASA. March 27, 2009. Archived from the original on March 31, 2009. Retrieved April 5, 2009.
- ^ "Found: Pieces of meteorite spotted before impact". New Scientist (2697): 15. February 25, 2009.
- ^ Shiga, D. (February 19, 2009). "First tracked space rock recovered after impact". New Scientist.
- ^ Courtland, R. (March 25, 2009). "Meteorite hunters 'strike gold' in Sudan". New Scientist. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
- ^
Kwok, R. (March 26, 2009). "Astronomy: The Rock That Fell to Earth". PMID 19325604.
- ^ "Life's Building Blocks Found on Surprising Meteorite". Space.com. December 16, 2010. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- PMID 29666368.
- ^ Dockrill, Peter (December 22, 2020). "Meteorite Clues Point to a Huge, Unknown Object in The Early Solar System". SpaceAlert.com. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
- ^ Lakdawalla, E. (September 20, 2009). "A piece of an asteroid returns to the telescope that discovered it". The Planetary Society. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2009.
Further reading
- Atkinson, N. (October 13, 2008). "Where Are the Images from Asteroid 2008 TC3?". Universe Today. Archived from the original on February 15, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
- "80-ton asteroid's impact recorded". BBC News. March 25, 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Dockweiler, T. (March 12, 2009). "Earth's First Pre-Known Asteroid Impact: The Sudan Event of October 7, 2008" (PDF). Science Newsletter. 4 (3). Triton Fun Company: 1–2. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Gayon-Markt, J.; Delbo, M.; Morbidelli, A.; Marchi, S. (April 30, 2012). "On the origin of the Almahata-Sitta meteorite and 2008 TC3 asteroid". S2CID 119242802.
- Lakdawalla, E. (October 7, 2008). "The full story of Earth-impacting asteroid 2008 TC3". The Planetary Society. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
- Yeomans, D. (October 7, 2008). "Small Asteroid Predicted to Cause Brilliant Fireball over Northern Sudan". Near Earth Object Program. Archived from the originalon April 6, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
External links
External images | |
---|---|
An image of 2008 TC3 | |
Animation of 2008 TC3 | |
Smoky trail (spaceweather.com November 8, 2008) |
- Remanzacco Observatory photographs of the incoming space rock
- Telescopio Nazionale Galileo photograph of 2008 TC3
- Announcement with animation
- "webcam record of flash effect from Red Sea beach at El Gouna, Egypt, 725 km away" (GIF). Archived from the original on March 14, 2011. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
- NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Almahata Sitta 15 (March 28, 2009)
- 2008 TC3 orbit and observations at
- 2008 TC3 at NeoDyS-2, Near Earth Objects—Dynamic Site
- 2008 TC3 at ESA–space situational awareness
- 2008 TC3 at the JPL Small-Body Database