New Mars Forums

Palomar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2002-05-30

Posts: 9,734

Re: Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

*This doesn't pertain to any 1 specific NEO, so I'm starting a new thread.  I'd previously started a thread regarding PHA's (Potentially Hazardous Asteroids) but danged if I can find it via multiple Search attempts.   

August 18, 2005

Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

The Planetary Society recently awarded Gene Shoemaker Near Earth Object Grants to five researchers to aid in studying the potentially hazardous comets and asteroids that orbit close to our planet.

“Catastrophic impacts happen in our solar system,” said Bruce Betts, the Planetary Society Director of Projects. “It may be a small probability threat, but the consequences are so dire we need to invest the time and money to determine which – if any – objects pose a threat.”

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) have collided with Earth in the past, including a large impact on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula which many scientists believe cause the extinction of the dinosaurs. Just 11 years ago, the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit Jupiter, creating giant fireballs as it hit the planet’s atmosphere.

The grant is named after Gene Shoemaker, a leader in the NEO field and advocate for their research. The grants are give to amateur observers, observers in developing countries, and professional astronomers to contribute to this research.

This year’s recipients were chosen from 24 candidates hailing from 12 countries. The recipients are Peter Birtwhistle of England, Erich Meyer of Australia, Gianluca Masi of Italy, James W. Ashley of the U.S., and David J. Higgins of Australia.

Past recipients have discovered many previously unknown asteroids, including the asteroid 2004 GA1. This asteroid was discovered by John Broughton and is possibly the first amateur discovery of a potentially hazardous NEO larger than 1 kilometer in diameter.  (Bjorn Carey)

Info is from space.com's "Astronotes" section.  Is in column/updated formated so must copy and paste.

--Cindy

---

We all know [i]those[/i] Venusians: Doing their hair in shock waves, smoking electrical coronas, wearing Van Allen belts and resting their tiny elbows on a Geiger counter...

--John Sladek (The New Apocrypha)

SpaceNut

Administrator

From: New Hampshire

Registered: 2004-07-22

Posts: 29,431

Re: Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

Here is some more on the 2005 Gene Shoemaker NEO Grant Recipients

totaling $32,500 (US), were awarded to an international collection of amateur astronomers and researchers:

James W. Ashley, Minor Planet Research, Inc., Fountain Hill, Arizona, USA;
Peter Birtwhistle, Great Shefford Observatory, Berkshire, England;
David J. Higgins, Hunters Hill Observatory, Ngunnawal, Canberra, Australia;
Gianluca Masi, Campo Catino, Italy;
Erich Meyer, Davidschalg, Austria.

Article also contains what they plan to do with these funds.

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

Scientists locate likely origin for the dinosaur-killing asteroid
https://www.space.com/dinosaur-impactor-origin

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

Comet or Asteroid?

Jupiter just got smacked by a space rock and an amateur astronomer caught it on camera
https://www.space.com/amp/jupiter-impac … hoto-video

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

Scientists uncover the largest crater on Earth under 100,000 years old.

https://www.livescience.com/young-impac … ound-china

impact crater is Yilan China

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: Asteroid Hunters Get Grants

NASA Confirms 1,000-Pound Meteorite Landed in Texas

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/343 … d-in-texas