24th April. The discovery of 1862 Apollo
On this day in 1932, Karl Reinmuth* discovered the asteroid designated 1932 HA, later to be permanently named 1862 Apollo. This was a completely new category of asteroid and brought into sharp focus the potential, and actual, dangers to life on Earth of asteroidal collisions.
On this day in 1932, Karl Reinmuth* discovered the asteroid designated 1932 HA, later to be permanently named 1862 Apollo. This was a completely new category of asteroid and brought into sharp focus the potential, and actual, dangers to life on Earth of asteroidal collisions.
Le premier astéroïde menaçant
Aujourd'hui en 1932, Karl Reinmuth* a découvert l'astéŕoïde qui serait plus tard nommé 1862 Apollo. C'est un astéroïde qui pourrait frapper la Terre, mais il ne faut pas paniquer. Les astronomes pensent qu'une collision n'aura pas lieu pour au moins 200 ans.
Aujourd'hui en 1932, Karl Reinmuth* a découvert l'astéŕoïde qui serait plus tard nommé 1862 Apollo. C'est un astéroïde qui pourrait frapper la Terre, mais il ne faut pas paniquer. Les astronomes pensent qu'une collision n'aura pas lieu pour au moins 200 ans.
Schematics of a typical Apollo class asteroid
1862 Apollo was the first asteroid to be identified with an orbit which crosses that of the Earth's. Whereas most asteroids orbit the sun within a fairly well contain region between Mars and Jupiter, 1862 Apollo has an eccentric (e= 0.56) heliocentric orbit such that its closest approach to the Sun (perihelion of 0.647 AU) is just within the orbit of Venus, and its aphelion (furthest distance away from the Sun) is 2.29 AU (a little beyond Mars).
This means that 1862 Apollo has the potential to collide (astronomers use the term 'impact') with Venus, Mars, or more worrying for humankind, the Earth. The asteroid 1862 Apollo is defined as a PHA - Potentially Hazardous Asteroid and is one of 1,972 currently known PHAs. It orbits the Sun in a relatively spritely period of 1.47 years. However, although it can come astronomically very close to the Earth, current determinations are that it does not pose an immediate danger, at least not for at least 200 years.
It will make a close approach on 13th November 2046 when it will come within 5.3 million kilometres of Earth, and on 17th May 2075 it will fly-past Venus at a distance of 1.2 million kilometres.
Size-wise it is an irregular shaped object with an elongated dimension of around
1.5km. If it 'were' to hit the Earth it would not by itself trigger a mass-species extinction event, although it would 'nicely' eradicate life in an area comparable to France.
The Apollo group of asteroids together with other groups of PHAs and the real threats posed by asteroids to humankind, are covered in more detail within our book about the Asteroids.
* Reinmuth was an exceptional observational astronomer and celestial mechanicist who will be the subject of a future news articles.
This means that 1862 Apollo has the potential to collide (astronomers use the term 'impact') with Venus, Mars, or more worrying for humankind, the Earth. The asteroid 1862 Apollo is defined as a PHA - Potentially Hazardous Asteroid and is one of 1,972 currently known PHAs. It orbits the Sun in a relatively spritely period of 1.47 years. However, although it can come astronomically very close to the Earth, current determinations are that it does not pose an immediate danger, at least not for at least 200 years.
It will make a close approach on 13th November 2046 when it will come within 5.3 million kilometres of Earth, and on 17th May 2075 it will fly-past Venus at a distance of 1.2 million kilometres.
Size-wise it is an irregular shaped object with an elongated dimension of around
1.5km. If it 'were' to hit the Earth it would not by itself trigger a mass-species extinction event, although it would 'nicely' eradicate life in an area comparable to France.
The Apollo group of asteroids together with other groups of PHAs and the real threats posed by asteroids to humankind, are covered in more detail within our book about the Asteroids.
* Reinmuth was an exceptional observational astronomer and celestial mechanicist who will be the subject of a future news articles.
21st April. Jean-Baptiste Biot (21/4/1774/2/1862)
Jean-Baptiste Biot was a French astronomer, physicist and mathematician born in Paris. He is famous for his report on the Aigle meteorite which established the proof that meteorites are extraterrestrial objects.
Jean-Baptiste Biot was a French astronomer, physicist and mathematician born in Paris. He is famous for his report on the Aigle meteorite which established the proof that meteorites are extraterrestrial objects.
Jean-Baptiste Biot était un astronome, physicien et mathématicien français né à Paris. Il est célèbre parmi les astronomes pour son rapport sur la météorite de l’Aigle, qui a établi la preuve que les météorites sont des objets extraterrestes.
Biot went to the Louis le Grand secondary school in Paris until 1791 where he became interested in maths, and after a short stint in the army he studied to be an engineer. In 1797 after his studies he wanted to go into teaching and found a position as a maths teacher at the Ecole centrale in Beauvais, then in 1800 he was appointed professor of mathematical physics at the Collège de France. Thanks to the support of Laplace he was named assistant astronomer at the Bureau of Longitudes in 1806 and professor of astronomy at the Faculty of Science in Paris in 1808. Between 1816 and 1826 he also taught physics, magnetism and optics, while keeping his title as professor of astronomy. He concluded his career as dean of the Faculty of Sciences in Paris (1840) before retiring in 1849.
Biot a fait ses études secondaires au collège Louis le Grand jusqu’en 1791 où il s’est intéressé aux maths, et après un court passage dans l’armée il a suivi une formation d’ingénieur. En 1797 après ses études il a décidé qu’il voudrait travailler dans l’enseignement, et il est devenu professeur de maths à l’Ecole centrale de Beauvais, puis en 1800 il est nommé professeur de physique mathematique au Collège de France. Grâce à l’appui de Laplace il est aussi nommé astronome adjoint au Bureau des Longitudes en 1806 et professeur d’astronomie à la Faculté des Sciences de Paris en 1808. Entre 1816 et 1826 il a également enseigné la physique, le magnétisme et l’optique tout en gardant le titre de professeur d’astronomie. Il a conclu sa carrière comme doyen de la Faculté des Sciences de Paris (1840) avant de prendre sa retraite en 1849.
The first meteorite
In 1803 Biot was sent by the Home Secretary to Aigle in the north west of French to study a meteorite which had fallen there on the 26 April.
On that day at about one o clock on a fine afternoon near to Aigle the inhabitants of the region heard a deafening noise which lasted for five minutes, and then they discovered rocks of various sizes in small craters which were still hot and smoking in the fields.
At the time, the extraterrestrial origin of meteorites was very much rejected. But Biot developped a method for establishing the origin of these rocks. He compared their composition with the minerals normally found in the region. Then he went to speak with a large number of those who had witnessed the event making sure they were people from all walks of life, and he asked them exactly what they had seen. The report he wrote was an excellent piece of scientific research, and as a consequence the scientific world began to believe in the extraterrestrial nature of meteorites.
Biot died on the 3rd February 1862 and today there is a rue Biot named in his honour in the XVIIth arrondissement of Paris.
In 1803 Biot was sent by the Home Secretary to Aigle in the north west of French to study a meteorite which had fallen there on the 26 April.
On that day at about one o clock on a fine afternoon near to Aigle the inhabitants of the region heard a deafening noise which lasted for five minutes, and then they discovered rocks of various sizes in small craters which were still hot and smoking in the fields.
At the time, the extraterrestrial origin of meteorites was very much rejected. But Biot developped a method for establishing the origin of these rocks. He compared their composition with the minerals normally found in the region. Then he went to speak with a large number of those who had witnessed the event making sure they were people from all walks of life, and he asked them exactly what they had seen. The report he wrote was an excellent piece of scientific research, and as a consequence the scientific world began to believe in the extraterrestrial nature of meteorites.
Biot died on the 3rd February 1862 and today there is a rue Biot named in his honour in the XVIIth arrondissement of Paris.
La première météorite
Biot a contribué beaucoup au monde scientifique et en 1803 le ministre de l’Intérieur lui a envoyé à l’Aigle dans le nord-ouest de la France pour étudier une météorite tombée le 26 avril de cette année.
Ce jour vers 13 heures par un bel après-midi dans les environs de l’Aigle les habitants de la région ont entendu un bruit assourdissant qui a duré cinq minutes, et après ils ont découvert dans les champs des pierres de tailles diverses dans des cratères encore chauds et fumants.
A l’époque l’origine extraterrestre des météorites était encore vivement abbatue. Mais Biot a dévéloppé une méthode pour prouver l’origine de ces pierres. Il a comparé la composition de ces pierres avec les minéraux que l’on trouve normalement dans la région. Ensuite il est allé parler avec un grand nombre de temoins d’origines sociales diverses pour leur demander exactement ce qu’ils avaient témoingné. Le rapport qu’il a redigé était un modèle de rigueur scientifique. Et par consequent le monde savant a commence à croire à l’origine extraterrestre des météorites.
Biot est décédé le 3 février 1862 et aujourd’hui il y a une rue Biot nommé en son honneur dans le XVIIe arrondissement de Paris.
Biot a contribué beaucoup au monde scientifique et en 1803 le ministre de l’Intérieur lui a envoyé à l’Aigle dans le nord-ouest de la France pour étudier une météorite tombée le 26 avril de cette année.
Ce jour vers 13 heures par un bel après-midi dans les environs de l’Aigle les habitants de la région ont entendu un bruit assourdissant qui a duré cinq minutes, et après ils ont découvert dans les champs des pierres de tailles diverses dans des cratères encore chauds et fumants.
A l’époque l’origine extraterrestre des météorites était encore vivement abbatue. Mais Biot a dévéloppé une méthode pour prouver l’origine de ces pierres. Il a comparé la composition de ces pierres avec les minéraux que l’on trouve normalement dans la région. Ensuite il est allé parler avec un grand nombre de temoins d’origines sociales diverses pour leur demander exactement ce qu’ils avaient témoingné. Le rapport qu’il a redigé était un modèle de rigueur scientifique. Et par consequent le monde savant a commence à croire à l’origine extraterrestre des météorites.
Biot est décédé le 3 février 1862 et aujourd’hui il y a une rue Biot nommé en son honneur dans le XVIIe arrondissement de Paris.
5th April. New blog series - The Asteroids
Following on from our monthly blog series on the Sun, our new series will look in detail at the enigmatic asteroids. We will begin our series with an introduction and overview of these much vaunted objects in our blog to be published on Sunday 28th April.
We would like to express our thanks to everyone who took part in our Facebook poll which chose this topic. If you voted for one of the other topics, don't worry, these will be the topic of future blog series!
Following on from our monthly blog series on the Sun, our new series will look in detail at the enigmatic asteroids. We will begin our series with an introduction and overview of these much vaunted objects in our blog to be published on Sunday 28th April.
We would like to express our thanks to everyone who took part in our Facebook poll which chose this topic. If you voted for one of the other topics, don't worry, these will be the topic of future blog series!
Suite à série sur le Soleil, notre nouvelle série regardera de plus près les astéroïdes mystérieux. Nous allons commencer avec une introduction et un aperçu de ces objets fameux dans notre blog qui sera publié dimanche le 28 avril.
Nous remercions tous ceux qui ont participé à notre sondage sur Facebook qui a choisi ce sujet. Si vous avez choisi l'autre sujet ne vous inquiétez pas nous allons écrire une autre serié plus tard.
Nous remercions tous ceux qui ont participé à notre sondage sur Facebook qui a choisi ce sujet. Si vous avez choisi l'autre sujet ne vous inquiétez pas nous allons écrire une autre serié plus tard.
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