351E-376-Active Asteroids

351E-376-Active Asteroids

Author: Albert D. Grauer August 26, 2025 Duration: 2:01
When it was first spotted by astronomers at Space Watch on Kitt Peak, 2008 GO98 appeared to be one of many outer main belt asteroids moving through the night sky. 9 years later when my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Greg Leonard observed it with our 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon it had a coma and a tail like a comet. Active asteroids like 2008 GO98 have asteroid orbits but sometimes show cometary activity which could be caused by a collision with another object and/or by thermal fracturing and ice sublimation caused by the slight warming they obtain from sunlight.

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
117E-129-A 3 City Block Sized Asteroid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Recently my Catalina Sky Survey teammates Carson Fuls and Jess Johnson discovered an asteroid which comes close enough and is large enough be be classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid. It was subsequently observe…
628-Close Approaches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
In 2020 my team the Catalina Sky Survey discovered 171 asteroids which can occasionally come closer to us than our Moon. In fact 21 of them, averaging 25 feet in diameter can come close enough to our home planet to pass…
116E-128-Buzzed By An Asteroid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Recently my Catalina Sky Survey teammates Carson Fuls and Jess Johnson discovered a rapidly moving point of light in the sky. It was subsequently observed by telescopes in Italy, Arizona, New Zealand, and Australia. Twen…
627-Toughest Asteroids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
In 2020, my team the Catalina Sky Survey discovered 14 extremely tough asteroids which regularly travel closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury. They are likely to contain at least as much iron, nickel, platinum, gold,…
115E-127-Tied For Third [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The appearance of a naked eye comet is one of natures most impressive displays. Humans have regarded these suddenly appearing objects as everything from a sign of an upcoming disaster, to the bringers of water and organi…
626-Lunar Impactors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Recently my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Teddy Pruyne was observing in the constellation of Pisces with our 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, AZ when he discovered a small space rock on a path which takes it near the moon…
114E-126-Ready Yourself For Alien Life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Carl Sagan said that "The Universe is a pretty big place. If it's just us, seems like an awful waste of space". It is hard to look into the sky on a clear dark night and not share this feeling.
625-Record Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
In 2020 the asteroid hunting community discovered 2,946 Earth approaching space rocks orbiting our Sun. My team, the Catalina Sky Survey, led the pack with 1,542 to our credit. Fortunately we have yet to find an asteroid…
113E-125-NASA RADAR Finds Asteroid Moon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Asteroid 2004 BL86 was discovered more than 10 years ago by the LINEAR program in New Mexico.Until recently, we knew asteroid 2004 BL86 only as a faint moving point of light in the night sky. Early in 2015 it came close…
624-In Coming [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Recently my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Greg Leonard was asteroid hunting with our 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona when he spotted a moving point of light streaking at 6.9 mi/sec through the constellation of Ca…