[extropy-chat] Rosetta Earth Swing-by 1

[Amara Lynn Graps]

http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=ROSETTA&page=Earth_Flyby

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On 04 Mar 2005, the European comet mission Rosetta will swing-by our
planet Earth. It will come as close as 1900 km to the surface,
at 22h10m UT. It will approach from away from the sun and have its
closest approach shortly after 22h UT, on the illuminated side of the
Earth. Rosetta approaches us from an area in the border between the
constellations Leo and Sextans, visible almost all night from the
northern and most of the southern hemisphere. It should become visible
in large amateur telescopes around 26 Feb 2005, when it reaches a
brightness of 18 magnitude.

On the evening of the closest approach, it will move away from the
constellation Sextans after sunset and move towards the direction of
the sun, crossing the complete sky. Europe is favorably placed to
follow this event. Between 19 h and 20 h UT (20 h - 21 h CET) it may
actually become visible to the naked eye. It will move faster and
faster towards the west, disappearing on the horizon around 
22 h UT (23 h CET).

We expect that amateur astronomers using video cameras hooked up to
their telescope will be able to distinguish the solar panels of
Rosetta which extend over 32 m. We will try to put the High Gain
Antenna in a position that it could also be visible (ca. 2 m
diameter).

This page gives details about this event with finder charts and finder
tables for the advanced amateur or public observatories. It will be
expanded as the approach comes closer, so check back regularly.
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Amara Graps, PhD        
Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, CNR - ARTOV, 
Via del Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, I-00133 Roma, ITALIA
tel: +39-06-4993-4375      |fax:  +39-06-4993-4383
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"We came whirling out of Nothingness scattering stars like dust." 
--Rumi