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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Cometary and Asteroid Missions _ Asteroid 2008 KV42 retrograde orbit

Posted by: PhilCo126 Sep 5 2008, 11:08 AM

Asteroid 2008 KV42 might shed some new light on the origin of rocky visitors to our inner solar system:

http://web.mac.com/jjkavelaars/CFEPS/Notable_Discoveries/Entries/2008/7/16_2008_KV42_-_a_retrograde_TNO.html

Posted by: Juramike Sep 5 2008, 11:55 AM

A space.com http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/080904-comet-origins.html provides some information on how 2008 KV 42(*) might've got where it is. (The article refers to it as a "comet")

[* a "TNO/asteroid/comet" thingy]

-Mike

Posted by: tedstryk Sep 5 2008, 12:27 PM

QUOTE (Juramike @ Sep 5 2008, 12:55 PM)

[* a "TNO/asteroid/comet" thingy]

Now THAT would make a great new IAU category.

Posted by: Juramike Sep 5 2008, 02:14 PM

The comet/asteroid description reminds me of the Saturday Night Live "dessert topping/floor wax" skit (viewable http://www.jibjab.com/view/101069).

2008 KV42 is probably both: slightly crunchy on the outside, but light and fluffy on the inside...with a subtle taste of tholin.