Yarkovsky Effect On Asteroid Detected

Henry writes "New Scientist is reporting that a JPL team has measured the recoil effect of an asteroid caused by the Sun in the process of re-emission of absorbed sunlight as heat. Astronomers believe this phenomenon, known as the Yarkovsky Effect, has brought asteroids - which are otherwise mainly located in and near the belt - towards Earth. This effect on asteroids was previously predicted, but this is the first proof."

This is amazing work

[shweazel]

These guys collected 12 years worth of data, to finally determine that an asteroid 16 million kilometers from the earth was 15 kilometers further away than calculated by the influence of gravity alone.

No wonder noone else was able to measure this till now..

Re:This is amazing work

[Baron_Yam]

It amazes me that the orbit could be calculated with that accuracy and precision at all... there are so many gravitational influences in the neighbourhood that I'd have thought it impossible. Anything beyond a two-body problem is a problem, right?

Re:This is amazing work

[Carnildo]

I think they picked an asteroid that didn't make any approaches to other large asteroids in that 16-year period. If the only objects you need to worry about are the planets, it's a lot easier to calculate, particularly for a period as short as 16 years.