376E-412-Tiny Space Rock

376E-412-Tiny Space Rock

Author: Albert D. Grauer February 17, 2026 Duration: 2:01
Eighteen hours before my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Rose Matheny first spotted a small space rock with our Schmidt telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona it had passed less than the Earth's diameter from the surface of our planet. Rose was able to discover this Smart Car sized space rock after it moved out of the Sun's glare. At this point it was about the Moon's distance from her and was traveling away at 3.4 mi/s. After Rose posted her discovery observations on the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth Object Confirmation page, for the next 24 hours it was tracked by telescopes in Spain, Illinois, and Arizona. Scientists at the Minor Planet Center used these data to calculate it's orbit around the Sun, estimate it's size and give it the name 2017 UJ2. This small asteroid had come near the Earth in 1978 but was invisible to the technology which astronomers had available at the time. 2017 UJ2 will not come close enough for us to detect in the foreseeable future, however, there are likely to be tens of millions of others like it which can come close to Earth. A small asteroid the size of Rose's discovery is likely to enter our atmosphere at least once a year and explodes at about 4 times higher than airliners fly. If such an event happened at night and you were lucky enough to see it you would be treated to a fantastic light show. If you are as lucky as a power ball winner you might even be able to find a piece of it on the ground.

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
228E-240-Why [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
What motivates asteroid hunters?Large dangerous asteroids are still out there to find.
738-Tiny Visitor(526) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A tiny space rock passes through the cloud of communications satellites surrounding the Earth.
227E-239-Martian Lakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
We may be able to learn about the possibilities of life on Mars by studying land forms on the Tibetan Plateau here on Earth.
737-Collision(525) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
I was asteroid hunting with our 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona when my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Steve Larson sent me an email requesting that I obtain some images of the asteroid 6478 Gault. Several days ea…
226E-238-Now Three [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Catalina Sky Survey now operates three telescopes, 24 nights per month, in the Catalina mountains north of Tucson, Arizona.The Catalina Sky Survey began with the University of Arizona's 30 inch Schmidt Telescope on M…
736-Home Wrecker(524) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The extremely remote chance that a dangerous mountain sized space rock has our number on it is what keeps my team going to our four telescopes in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona.
225E-237-Lost [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The asteroid named for Mildred Shapley Matthews was lost in the solar system for 75 years.In 1916 the 60 inch Hale telescope on Mt. Wilson, California was the largest telescope in the world. Seth Nicholson and Harlow Sha…
735-One Thousand(523) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
For the first time in history, an asteroid hunting team, the Catalina Sky Survey, has discovered more than 1,000 Earth approaching asteroids in a single year. They are an interesting part of our environment.
224E-236-Enceladus's Ocean [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Pound for pound Saturn's moon Enceladus is the brightest object in our solar system. It is so shiny that it reflects most of the sunlight that strikes it. Since Enceladus absorbs little sunlight it's surface is 330 degre…
734-Comets Africano(522) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
During Comet C/2018 V4 Africano's last visit to the inner solar system humans were erecting the outer ring at Stonehenge. At the rate human's are changing the Earth's climate who can guess what will be happening on Earth…