Comments on: 2003 EL61 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:01:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: stacy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5676 stacy Mon, 05 Nov 2007 00:00:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5676 2003 el61 has oval truth. 2003 el61 has oval truth.

]]> By: Michael http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5675 Michael Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:56:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5675 I say name it Pan-Horus, I know I'll lose points for this, but I'm an astrologer &, though it's not round, it's still somewhat the 10th planet from the Sun & it would be nice for Taurus to have a higher ruler than Venus. I say name it Pan-Horus, I know I’ll lose points for this, but I’m an astrologer &, though it’s not round, it’s still somewhat the 10th planet from the Sun & it would be nice for Taurus to have a higher ruler than Venus.

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5674 Irishman Wed, 03 Aug 2005 16:49:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5674 Doug, estimated abilities of spy satellites put them in the range of maybe reading a car license plate, if the angle is right. A far cry from counting hairs. Also note that spy satellites are a LOT closer to the Earth than any satellite we have is to the moon. Most are not geosynch, but what is called a Keyhole satellite. They travel in very elliptical orbits, so the high point might be near geosynch, but the low point drops almost into the atmosphere. This puts their low point only a couple hundred miles above the Earth's surface, which is where the resolution is best. Contrast that with the moon where these observation satellites never get closer than 220,000 miles. Do you see why there's a difference yet? Doug, estimated abilities of spy satellites put them in the range of maybe reading a car license plate, if the angle is right. A far cry from counting hairs.

Also note that spy satellites are a LOT closer to the Earth than any satellite we have is to the moon. Most are not geosynch, but what is called a Keyhole satellite. They travel in very elliptical orbits, so the high point might be near geosynch, but the low point drops almost into the atmosphere. This puts their low point only a couple hundred miles above the Earth’s surface, which is where the resolution is best.

Contrast that with the moon where these observation satellites never get closer than 220,000 miles. Do you see why there’s a difference yet?

]]> By: tjm220 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5673 tjm220 Wed, 03 Aug 2005 16:13:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5673 Eventually a sattelite in lunar orbit will do it but looking for Apollo relics isn't a good enough reason to send one. Eventually a sattelite in lunar orbit will do it but looking for Apollo relics isn’t a good enough reason to send one.

]]> By: Doug Kenline http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5672 Doug Kenline Wed, 03 Aug 2005 02:32:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5672 Satellites can take pictures of cars here on earth. I've even heard that some spy satellites could be used to count the hairs on the back of your head. It seems kind of unbelievable to me that there is no way to take a picture of the space junk on the moon. I think they left the little jeep there eh? Randall - link brings up no information. Satellites can take pictures of cars here on earth. I’ve even heard that some spy satellites could be used to count the hairs on the back of your head. It seems kind of unbelievable to me that there is no way to take a picture of the space junk on the moon. I think they left the little jeep there eh?

Randall - link brings up no information.

]]> By: Randall http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5671 Randall Tue, 02 Aug 2005 19:41:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5671 You say you couldn't find anything Doug? Did you actually search? Try the following link: <a href="http://badastronomy.com/phpBB/search.php?mode=results&sid=1a7e0bf8cf3640c1c1714bc45a841a5c" rel="nofollow">http://badastronomy.com/phpBB/search.php?mode=results&sid=1a7e0bf8cf3640c1c1714bc45a841a5c</a> You say you couldn’t find anything Doug? Did you actually search? Try the following link:

http://badastronomy.com/phpBB/search.php?mode=results&sid=1a7e0bf8cf3640c1c1714bc45a841a5c

]]> By: Randall http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5670 Randall Tue, 02 Aug 2005 19:40:38 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/07/30/2003-el61/#comment-5670 You say you couldn't find anything Doug? Did you actually search? Try the following link: http://badastronomy.com/phpBB/search.php?mode=results&sid=1a7e0bf8cf3640c1c1714bc45a841a5c You say you couldn’t find anything Doug? Did you actually search? Try the following link:

http://badastronomy.com/phpBB/search.php?mode=results&sid=1a7e0bf8cf3640c1c1714bc45a841a5c

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