With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Photo: This Skull-Shaped Asteroid Swooped By Earth On Halloween
The skull-shaped asteroid 2015 TB145 (Image courtesy of NAIC-ARECIBO/NSF)
()
An asteroid that sped by earth on Halloween looks eerily like a skull in images captured by NASA. On October 31, scientists from NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) observed asteroid "2015 TB145" as it passed roughly 300,000 miles above Earth—just outside the orbit of the moon—according to CBS News. Given the timing of the asteroid's appearance it was referred to as "Spooky" and "The Great Pumpkin," and appropriately was considered a "dead" comet because it no longer contained the volatile ingredients that give comets their bright tails, according to NASA.
But, best of all, the radar images of the asteroid revealed that it looks like a skull.
()
Whoa, animated images of asteroid 2015 TB145 (Images courtesy of NAIC-ARECIBO/NSF)
"The IRTF data may indicate that the object might be a dead comet, but in the Arecibo images it appears to have donned a skull costume for its Halloween flyby," explains Kelly Fast, IRTF program scientist at NASA Headquarters and acting program manager for NASA's NEO Observations Program, in a statement.
Support for LAist comes from
According to NASA, the skull asteroid is traveling at 78,000 miles per hour, and is about 2,000 feet across. Besides the cavities, boulders, and ridges that give it the skull-like appearance, the asteroid is said to be roughly spherical and takes around five hours to complete a rotation. NASA also just released more detailed radar images of the skull-shaped asteroid, but none of them look as metal as the initial ones.
Using a huge Earth-based antenna in Goldstone, California, scientists transmitted microwaves toward the asteroid, according to Tech Times. And from the radar echoes of the microwaves, they were able to piece together dramatically clear images of the asteroid.
"It is a truly remarkable achievement — one which we will later be able to apply when future flyby opportunities present themselves," said Shantanu Naidu, a member of the research team.
The next time the skull-shaped asteroid will pass by Earth is expected to be in September, 2018, but it will be 24 million miles away—a bit too far away to scare anybody on our planet.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues. -
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week. -
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.
Best of LAist