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
464-Big Atira [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The recent discovery of an asteroid, whose orbit lies completely within that of the Earth, reminds asteroid hunters to continue to search near the Sun so that a large dangerous object does not sneak up undetected on the…
463-Exiled Asteroid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
An asteroid is exiled to the outer regions of the solar system during Jupiter's rampaging tack away from the Sun long ago. During that process enough material was left in Jupiter's wake to form Venus, Earth, Mars, and th…
462-Our View [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Modern technology provides us with stunning views of objects in the Universe in wavelengths invisible to our eyes, however, nothing is as moving and thought provoking as looking into deep space with your very own eyes.
461-Brian's First [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Brian Africano's first Potentially Hazardous Asteroid discovery can come near to the Earth and Mars.
460-TESS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
To find planets close to home NASA has launched TESS the Transiting Exoplanet Satellite which will monitor more than 200,000 nearby, stars over the entire sky to detect the tiny dips in light caused when a planet passes…
459-Falling Space Rocks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
In the early evening of January 17, 2018 six hundred and seventy four observers in 11 States and Canada reported a fireball meteor streaking across the sky to the American Meteor Society. To find freshly fallen meteorite…
458-Large and Close [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
On June 30, 1908 a celestial object exploded 28,000 feet above the Tunguska river drainage area in Siberia, Russia releasing the energy of 185 Hiroshima sized atomic bombs. Recently a similar sized space rock made a sudd…
457-30 Years Of Fireballs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Fireballs are meteors which become brighter than the planet Venus and can sometimes be seen in the daytime. If you are lucky to see a fireball send in your report to the American Meteor Society and become a citizen scien…
456-Dangerous Trio [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
In the space of only four days, my Catalina Sky Survey teammates, Brian Africano, Alex Gibbs, and Greg Leonard, discovered three Potentially Hazardous Asteroids. Searching for such a large space rock on an impact traject…
455-17,000 To Go [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
So far asteroid hunters have discovered about 8,000 of the 25,000, large, potentially hazardous asteroids, suspected to exist, leaving 17,000 more to be discovered. For this reason, NASA has designed and proposed the NEO…