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
474-Earth-Venus Shuttle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A 100 foot diameter asteroid is spotted on one of it's regular trips between the orbits of Venus and Earth. It's ultimate fate is to collide with one of these planets producing a spectacular light show.
473-Ryugu Bound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is conducting a six year flight from Earth to a potentially hazardous asteroid, Ryugu, and return a sample of it to Earth for study. Ryugu is likely to have under gone little change…
472-Martian Mysteries [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Two exciting new scientific discoveries have ignited our curiosity and are guiding our search for evidence of past and/or present life on Mars.
471-Botswana Bound [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A small space rock with a diameter less than the height of an NBA basketball player had just crossed the orbit of our Moon on a collision course with Earth when it was spotted streaking through the constellation of Scorp…
470-Martian Asteroid Hunters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The life of an asteroid hunter on Mars will be interesting and exciting. The double planet, our Earth and Moon, in the Martian night sky will be an unforgettable sight and well worth the trip.
469-Flying Couch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
My birthday present from outer space was the opportunity to use the Catalina Sky Survey's 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Az to discover a tiny sofa couch sized asteroid as it was flying through the constellation of Boo…
468-Peek A Boo Asteroid [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A strange asteroid plays hide and seek with frustrated astronomers.
467-Time Travel [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Looking out into space takes you back in time. To experience time travel go to a natural night sky location like the Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary or another location on the darksky.org website.
466-Dangerous Impactors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Asteroid hunters have discovered more than 90% of the Earth approaching asteroids whose impact could cause global climate change. It was thus unusual when the Catalina Sky Survey found two, new, such giant space rocks in…
465-Returnee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
After being lost for ten years, the asteroid 2010 WC9 was re-discovered about a week before it came very close to Earth.