Bob Moler's Ephemeris Blog

This is Ephemeris for Thursday, October 29th. Today the Sun will be up for 10 hours and 17 minutes, setting at 6:34, and it will rise tomorrow at 8:18. The Moon, 2 days before full, will set at 7:06 tomorrow morning.

Tonight we will have Mars appearing above the bright gibbous Moon in the evening sky. Out in space NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is still in the vicinity of the tiny asteroid Bennu. The asteroid is about 60 percent the distance between the Earth’s and Mars’ orbits, but on the far side of the Sun from us. This is why it will take 3 years to return the sample to the Earth. Bennu is small, only 743 feet (226.5 meters) in diameter. And is a rubble pile asteroid with lots of empty voids between the rocks. The sampler instead of stopping at the surface, punched into the asteroid surface a bit. Bennu was picked because is a potential hazardous asteroid and is a particularly primitive type of asteroid.

The event times given are for the Traverse City/Interlochen area of Michigan. They may be different for your location.

Addendum

Inner Solar when OSIRIS REx took its sample from Bennu. Bennu’s official designation is 101955 Bennu. The number designation is the consecutive number it is given when placed on the official list of asteroids and dwarf planets when its orbit is determined. Notice that it was on the other side of the Sun. Credit NASA’s Eyes app.

The asteroid Bennu is 743 feet (226.5 meters) in diameter. It is a carbonaceous asteroid. OSIRIS-REX has already discovered water bearing clays on its surface. Credit NASA