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
374-Brute [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Fortunately This Asteroid Will Not Spoil Your Day.
373-Kepler's Planets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Kepler Space Telescope has discovered more than 50 habitable Earth sized planets orbiting distant stars.
372-Trappist-1 Planets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Trappist-1 solar system consists of a dim red star and 7 Earth sized planets. Humans are beginning to explore this fascinating new potentially habitable destination.
371-2 Headed Space Worm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Will Earth evolved Biology allow humans to create sustainable colonies in space, on the Moon, or on Mars?
370-Life's Parts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Astronomers have found the basic ingredients of life in an infant solar system.
369-Finding Treasure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Space miners can up their odds by prospecting with ground based telescopes.
368-Asteroid Alert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
NASA's Scout and Sentry software systems allow asteroid hunters to study and keep track of potentially dangerous asteroids.
367-Future Impactor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A 33 foot diameter asteroid has about a 1% chance of impacting the Earth in the distant future.
366-3 Explorers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A tiny space rock which can pass closer to us than the communications satellites may have been ejected from our Moon.
365-Tabby's Star [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Tabby's star varies in brightness suggesting that it swallowed one or more of it's planets in the very recent past. Cannibal Star or Alien Megastructure?