[meteorite-list] Asteroid 2011MD Bye-bye

[Sterling K. Webb]

Whoops! Actually, I was the "late" one. The orbital
elements for 2011 MD were updated several days
ago.
http://www.projectpluto.com/2011md.htm

The closest approach was re-calculated for not
13:30 UTC but 17:00 UTC and the point of closest
approach projected on the Earth shifted by some
50 degrees...

I missed the update and so did at least one news
outlet (The Mail & Telegraph, UK) who reported it
"late." The shame of it -- to do no better than a
newspaper!


Sterling K. Webb
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matson, Robert D." <ROBERT.D.MATSON at saic.com>
To: "Meteorite List" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 8:59 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Asteroid 2011MD Bye-bye


> Hi All,
>
> I'm sure Sterling is well aware of this, but it's worth pointing
> out to the masses that 2011 MD wasn't "late". People are simply guilty
> of blindly believing their favorite piece of software, apparently
> ignorant of the limitations of non-integrating propagation. When an
> asteroid is well within the sphere of influence of the earth, it is
> hardly appropriate to use a program that's based on Kepler's two-body
> equations... --Rob
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of
> Sterling K. Webb
> Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 6:37 PM
> To: Meteorite List
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Asteroid 2011MD Bye-bye
>
> Video of 2011MD against background stars:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUjbA21jjsc
>
> The pass was at 7600 miles (instead of the
> predicted 7500 miles) and it was 3.5 hours
> late from the predicted time.
>
> Mr. Newton could not be reached for comment.
>
> Sterling K. Webb
>
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