Near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14: star map (geocentric)
The map above shows the path in the sky of asteroid 2012 DA14 around its very close approach, next 15 Feb. 2013. Positions are calculed for an ideal observer sitting at the center of...
Category: near Earth
Asteroid 2012 DA14: view of the close encounter
The near-Earth asterid 2012 DA14 is going to have a record close approach with our planet on Feb. 15, 2013. The video below shows the approach, keeping the asteroid in the center of the...
Near-Earth asteroid 2011 MD: an amazing movie
At the end of June 2011, our planet was brushed by a little (7 to 15 meters in diameter) asteroid, 2011 MD. It reached a minimum distance for the surface of our planet of about...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis: updates (11 Jan. 2013)
After its relatively close encounter with our planet (at 15 millions of km from the Earth) , potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis was imaged again at the Virtual Telescope, using the 17″ robotic unit, to...
Waiting for asteroid 2012 DA14 close encounter next Feb.
As our visitors well know, the Virtual Telescope Project and its team reserve a special attention to those asteroids closely approaching our planet. This in true in two different ways: at one side, the...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis: updates (8 Jan. 2013)
At about 36 hours from the minimum distance (15 millions of km from the Earth) , potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis was imaged again with the Virtual Telescope, this time using the 17″ robotic...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis: a movie
The Virtual Telescope observed the potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis several times over the past few days and finally, using a set of images captured on Jan. 4, it was possible to make this...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis: getting closer (5 Jan. 2013)
The Virtual Telescope is continuing tracking the interesting and famous potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis. It will reach a distance of 15 millions of km from the Earth on Jan. 2013, with no risks...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis: new image (4 Jan. 2013)
The famous potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis is on its way to reach the minimum (but very large to be safe) distance of 15 millions of km from us in a few days. The...
Potentially hazardous asteroid (99942) Apophis: a new encounter
If there is an asteroid which does not need to have its name introduced to the public, it is the potentially hazardous one (99942) Apophis. This about 300-meters large rock was discovered in 2004...
Toutatis, again!
The potentially hazardous asteroid (4179) Toutatis is still bright, while on its way back, after the 12 Dec. close encounter with the Earth. The Virtual Telescope was observing it and captured the image above, remotely...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (99942) Apophis: live observations
With no doubts, the most famous potentially hazardous asteroid known to date is (99942) Apophis. Discovered in 2004, it showed a very interesting orbit, bringing it very close to our planet. On Apr. 2029,...
Goodbye, Toutatis!
The race is over. While I’m writing this, the potentially hazardous asteroid (4179) Toutatis is on its orbit, leaving us after the close encounter it had with the Earth on Dec. 12. It was...
Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (4179) Toutatis close approach: updates(12 Dec. 2012)
The potentially hazardous asteroid (4179) Toutatis reached its minimum distance from the Earth on Dec. 12, at 6:40 UT. About ten hours later, while still within 7 millions of km from our planet, the Virtual Telescope...
