Posted on Oct 12, 2020
APOD: 2020 October 12 - Descending Toward Asteroid Bennu
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Good morning, Rallypoint. Today's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is titled "Descending Toward Asteroid Bennu." NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer) spacecraft is currently in orbit around Asteroid Bennu, and will attempt a touch-and-go (TAG) maneuver a week from Tuesday (October 20th). The mission's primary goal is to obtain a sample of at least 60 grams (2.1 oz) from Bennu, and return the sample to Earth sometime in 2023. Today's video clip (0:33) shows what it looks like to descend toward the 500-meter diamond-shaped asteroid. The spacecraft has been in orbit around Bennu since 2018 gathering the image and surface data used to create this video.
A rocky area 52 ft (16 m) in diameter in Bennu’s northern hemisphere (Site Nightingale) is the target for the October 20th sample attempt. This location was selected as the mission’s primary sample site because it appears to hold the greatest amount of unobstructed fine-grained material. If a sufficient sample is not collected, a subsequent attempt will be made at a second location (Site Osprey) in January 2021.
A rocky area 52 ft (16 m) in diameter in Bennu’s northern hemisphere (Site Nightingale) is the target for the October 20th sample attempt. This location was selected as the mission’s primary sample site because it appears to hold the greatest amount of unobstructed fine-grained material. If a sufficient sample is not collected, a subsequent attempt will be made at a second location (Site Osprey) in January 2021.
APOD: 2020 October 12 - Descending Toward Asteroid Bennu
Posted from apod.nasa.gov
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Beat Music from Perth, WA. Recorded live at El Grotto in Scarborough, Western Australia. Video by Mark Turner Mixed by William Langdale at Loom Recording. Ma...
Thank you my friend Maj William W. 'Bill' Price for posting the NASA Astronomy Simulated Video of the Day (ASVOD) is titled "Descending Toward Asteroid Bennu."
Background on name 'Bennu is an ancient Egyptian deity linked with the sun, creation, and rebirth. It may have been the inspiration for the phoenix in Greek mythology.'
Grievous Bodily Calm performing Bennu recorded live at El Grotto in Scarborough, Western Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga2kKcnkD9M
Images:
1. 2020-10-12 Arrival off asteroid Bennu full rotation
2. 2020-10-12 The Big Picture_ Asteroid Bennu with closeup image
3. 2020-10-12 Global mosaic of Bennu showing the locations of the first 12 named surface features
ASVOD Background
"Explanation: What would it be like to land on an asteroid? Although no human has yet done it, NASA's robotic OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to attempt to touch the surface of asteroid 101955 Bennu next week. The goal is to collect a sample from the nearby minor planet for return to Earth for a detailed analysis in 2023. The featured video shows what it looks like to descend toward the 500-meter diamond-shaped asteroid, based on a digital map of Bennu's rocky surface constructed from image and surface data taken by OSIRIS-REx over the past 1.5 years. The video begins by showing a rapidly spinning Bennu -- much faster than its real rotation period of 4.3 hours. After the rotation stops, the virtual camera drops you down to just above the rugged surface and circles a house-sized rock outcrop named Simurgh, with the flatter outcrop Roc visible behind it. If the return sample reaches Earth successfully, it will be scrutinized for organic compounds that might have seeded a young Earth, rare or unusual elements and minerals, and clues about the early history of our Solar System.
FYI Maj Robert Thornton Lt Col Charlie Brown COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SGT Denny Espinosa Sgt Vance Bonds MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. TSgt David L. SPC Nancy GreenePO2 (Join to see) SSG Michael Noll SPC Margaret Higgins Maj Marty Hogan PO2 Frederick Dunn PO3 Phyllis Maynard
Background on name 'Bennu is an ancient Egyptian deity linked with the sun, creation, and rebirth. It may have been the inspiration for the phoenix in Greek mythology.'
Grievous Bodily Calm performing Bennu recorded live at El Grotto in Scarborough, Western Australia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga2kKcnkD9M
Images:
1. 2020-10-12 Arrival off asteroid Bennu full rotation
2. 2020-10-12 The Big Picture_ Asteroid Bennu with closeup image
3. 2020-10-12 Global mosaic of Bennu showing the locations of the first 12 named surface features
ASVOD Background
"Explanation: What would it be like to land on an asteroid? Although no human has yet done it, NASA's robotic OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to attempt to touch the surface of asteroid 101955 Bennu next week. The goal is to collect a sample from the nearby minor planet for return to Earth for a detailed analysis in 2023. The featured video shows what it looks like to descend toward the 500-meter diamond-shaped asteroid, based on a digital map of Bennu's rocky surface constructed from image and surface data taken by OSIRIS-REx over the past 1.5 years. The video begins by showing a rapidly spinning Bennu -- much faster than its real rotation period of 4.3 hours. After the rotation stops, the virtual camera drops you down to just above the rugged surface and circles a house-sized rock outcrop named Simurgh, with the flatter outcrop Roc visible behind it. If the return sample reaches Earth successfully, it will be scrutinized for organic compounds that might have seeded a young Earth, rare or unusual elements and minerals, and clues about the early history of our Solar System.
FYI Maj Robert Thornton Lt Col Charlie Brown COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen SGT Denny Espinosa Sgt Vance Bonds MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. TSgt David L. SPC Nancy GreenePO2 (Join to see) SSG Michael Noll SPC Margaret Higgins Maj Marty Hogan PO2 Frederick Dunn PO3 Phyllis Maynard
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LTC Stephen F.
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises The Benu Bird · Lina Nyberg · Vindla String Quartet Aerials 2016 Hoob Jazz Released on: 2016-03-04 Auto-gene...
The Egyptian bird Bennu
Image: The Benu (Bennu) Bird of Egypt
The Benu Bird · Lina Nyberg · Vindla String Quartet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcTzwaPmdA0
FYI MSG Felipe De Leon Brown PO3 Phyllis MaynardSSG Franklin Briant]MSG Felipe De Leon Brown Sgt John H. CW5 Jack Cardwell SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakePFC (Join to see)SP5 Dennis LobergerSGT Michael HearnSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SFC (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Matthew Lamb CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana SSgt (Join to see) MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi
Image: The Benu (Bennu) Bird of Egypt
The Benu Bird · Lina Nyberg · Vindla String Quartet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcTzwaPmdA0
FYI MSG Felipe De Leon Brown PO3 Phyllis MaynardSSG Franklin Briant]MSG Felipe De Leon Brown Sgt John H. CW5 Jack Cardwell SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SGT (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakePFC (Join to see)SP5 Dennis LobergerSGT Michael HearnSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SFC (Join to see) PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SPC Margaret Higgins SPC Matthew Lamb CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana SSgt (Join to see) MSgt Robert "Rock" Aldi
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Very cool- history to be watched in just a few days? Good morning Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
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