Travelers in the Night Eps. 345E & 346E: Asteroid Alert & Finding Treasure

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an
observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired
from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006.
travelersinthenight.org


From July 2025.


Today's 2 topics:


- When Asteroid hunters discover a new object it is given a score
ranging from 0 which means it is likely to be a distant main belt
asteroid up to 100 which means that it is likely to come near to
us. Each newly discovered asteroid which receives a score of 65
or greater is posted on the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth
Object Confirmation Page so that telescopes around the world can
track it to estimate it's size as well as to refine our knowledge
of it's orbit around the Sun.


 


- The energy required to lift water, food, and construction
materials from the Earth's surface is very expensive. Asteroids
come relatively close to Earth and could provide space colonists
with metals, carbon, water, and the other important ingredients
of modern life. Most space rocks like most terrestrial rocks may
be pretty and interesting but they are not a practical source of
the materials humans use and need.


 


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