Tony Dunn
@tony873004.bsky.social
Orbit simulations of planets, comets, asteroids and other interesting stuff. Amateur astronomer. BA: Physics & Astronomy, SFSU.
It might one day. It's still on an Earth-crossing orbit.
October 31, 2025 at 12:34 AM
It might one day. It's still on an Earth-crossing orbit.
With the updated name comes an updated distance. Now ~230 km above the surface. Still in the thermosphere.
October 30, 2025 at 11:18 PM
With the updated name comes an updated distance. Now ~230 km above the surface. Still in the thermosphere.
Burns and chaos make this difficult. This trajectory actually back-tracks to a September lunar impact.
October 30, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Burns and chaos make this difficult. This trajectory actually back-tracks to a September lunar impact.
I was wrong about the "junk" part. DRO-B lunar probe is still a functioning spacecraft.
October 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I was wrong about the "junk" part. DRO-B lunar probe is still a functioning spacecraft.
What stood out to me initially was how many trajectory-bending lunar encounters it had. None of the other natural mini moons did that. But all the distant retrograde missions we've launched do this on purpose. That's why I predicted it would be demoted to space junk (man made).
October 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
What stood out to me initially was how many trajectory-bending lunar encounters it had. None of the other natural mini moons did that. But all the distant retrograde missions we've launched do this on purpose. That's why I predicted it would be demoted to space junk (man made).
"...it came from deep space! How is that possible?"
Backward integrations after the object “burned” to avoid a path that traces back to Earth allowed that to happen.
@planet4589 noticed the backward run even ends with a September lunar impact. Turning on collisions in my sim shows that too.
Backward integrations after the object “burned” to avoid a path that traces back to Earth allowed that to happen.
@planet4589 noticed the backward run even ends with a September lunar impact. Turning on collisions in my sim shows that too.
October 28, 2025 at 6:46 PM
"...it came from deep space! How is that possible?"
Backward integrations after the object “burned” to avoid a path that traces back to Earth allowed that to happen.
@planet4589 noticed the backward run even ends with a September lunar impact. Turning on collisions in my sim shows that too.
Backward integrations after the object “burned” to avoid a path that traces back to Earth allowed that to happen.
@planet4589 noticed the backward run even ends with a September lunar impact. Turning on collisions in my sim shows that too.
This chaotic path is just one of many possible solutions. With only a few hours of data, small uncertainties blow up fast, especially with close Moon encounters.
October 26, 2025 at 7:24 PM
This chaotic path is just one of many possible solutions. With only a few hours of data, small uncertainties blow up fast, especially with close Moon encounters.
Simulation of the 2 asteroids against GAIA stars.
October 17, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Simulation of the 2 asteroids against GAIA stars.
Do the Hawaii surveys do the same?
October 5, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Do the Hawaii surveys do the same?
Nice find. Yes, your Mt. Lemmon Survey was first. Thanks for finding all these interesting rocks. It seems like there's been quite an uptick recently. Sep & Oct always produce a lot. It is the increase in night time hours, non-crowded Milky Way background unlike summer months or something else?
October 5, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Nice find. Yes, your Mt. Lemmon Survey was first. Thanks for finding all these interesting rocks. It seems like there's been quite an uptick recently. Sep & Oct always produce a lot. It is the increase in night time hours, non-crowded Milky Way background unlike summer months or something else?
It's now known as 2025 TF, and passed 410 km above the penguins. Previously, there was 2020 QG at 3000 km. And if you want to start a debate, the "Great Fireball" of August 10, 1972 passed through Earth's atmosphere before returning to space. I think there were a few others, but I could be wrong.
October 4, 2025 at 4:44 AM
It's now known as 2025 TF, and passed 410 km above the penguins. Previously, there was 2020 QG at 3000 km. And if you want to start a debate, the "Great Fireball" of August 10, 1972 passed through Earth's atmosphere before returning to space. I think there were a few others, but I could be wrong.