As per the reports after this encounter, DA14 flight path will lose a couple of months. What about the earth’s flight path, will it change at any time scale (any power of seconds)?
Yes, a perturbation from any object flying close by will change the Earth's potential/kinetic energy in its orbit, and in detail this depends on how the energy exchange in the three-body system (Sun-Earth-asteroid in this case) takes place. A back-of-the-envelope calculation shows that the Earth's year might change by a time on the order of tens of picoseconds -- not enough to be confirmed easily by measurement.
Good answer, Dominic. Now we'll have to wait for another asteroid to come around from the other side and swing us back into proper orbit.
Hi Christine - A question of interest related to the recent meteor that exploded over the Urals in Russia is if we have the assets in place (optical, radar etc) on earth
or in orbit that could have detected - possibly allowing a prediction of the meteor's trajectory to the earth?. If they are not presently sufficient, could you open a discussion on what assets would be needed? I noticed the estimated diameter of this meteor was about 50 ft,
Thanks ,Richard
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