335E-354-Returnee

335E-354-Returnee

Author: Albert D. Grauer May 6, 2025 Duration: 2:01
On May 5, 2014 when I discovered 2014 JO25 with the Catalina Sky Survey's 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona it was the brightest, fastest asteroid I had ever seen. In April of 2017, 2014 JO25 returned to come within 1.1 million miles of us at 21 mi/s. This rare, very close approach by an asteroid, of 2014 JO25's size allowed scientists at NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar in California and the National Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico to obtain radar images of it. Amazingly these images showed that what we had observed as a solitary moving point of light and had assumed to be a single asteroid is actually two asteroids in contact with each other. This tight pair rotates about a common center of gravity about every 5 hours which in turn orbits the Sun in about three years. 41 days before its encounter with Earth, this tight pair was closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury.

Each episode of Travelers In The Night feels like a quiet, personal conversation under a dark sky. Hosted by astronomer Dr. Albert D. Grauer, this podcast brings the distant cosmos into sharp, intimate focus. Dr. Grauer isn't just an observer; he's an active participant in the hunt, working with the Catalina Sky Survey team that has consistently discovered near-Earth asteroids for years. In these brief and engaging segments, you'll hear firsthand accounts of what it's like to track these ancient celestial travelers-the asteroids and comets that silently pass by our world. The discussions move beyond simple facts to explore the real-world implications of these discoveries, from planetary defense to the sheer wonder of our dynamic solar system. Accompanied by the contemplative music of John Lyell's "Eternity," each installment offers a moment of calm reflection on humanity's place in the universe. It’s a perfect blend of grounded science and cosmic curiosity, making complex astronomical concepts accessible and deeply fascinating. For anyone who has ever looked up and wondered what's out there moving in the dark, this podcast provides a direct line to the front lines of discovery.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Travelers In The Night
Podcast Episodes
17E-28-Finding An Asteroid for Astronauts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A prelude of a manned flyby of Venus and Mars could be a manned mission to an asteroid. The search for an appropriate asteroid continues.
528-Asteroid Billiards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test or DART for short will test methods to make a dangerous asteroid miss Earth.
16E-27-A Lucky Friday the 13th [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Friday the 13th of 2029 will be a lucky day for the Human race when the asteroid passes very near the Earth.
527-Comet Groeller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
My Catalina Sky Survey teammate Hannes Groeller was asteroid hunting with our Schmidt telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona when he discovered his first comet. After the Sun bakes out all of the frozen gasses, Hannes's Comet…
15E-26-Binary Asteroids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Approximately 1 out of 5 large Near-Earth Asteroids are really double or triple systems of objects orbiting a common center of gravity. Such double trouble objects presents a challenge if one of them were found to be hea…
526-Tiny Visitor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A tiny space rock passes through the cloud of communications satellites surrounding the Earth.
14E-25-Fireballs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Occasionally one observes a meteor brighter than the Planet Venus which is called a fireball. Some of them can be bright enough to be seen in the day time.Every year, several thousand fireballs are logged by the American…
525-Collision [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The object which the 2.3 mile diameter Gault hit is likely to have been a third of a mile diameter space rock. This celestial crash left Gault with a 250,000 long straight tail.
13E-24-Jupiter Friend or Foe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Earth is our home. It provides us with air, food, and water. The Sun powers all life. The role of Jupiter is less clear. Jupiter puts some objects on a collision course with our planet but not so frequently enough to…
12E-22-Asteroid 2013 TV 135 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Asteroid 2013 TV135 is a potentially hazardous asteroid which at first appeared to be on a collision course with planet Earth. Subsequent observations refined its orbit and reduced its chances of striking us.