Man-Made Object Spotted Orbiting the Sun

Just found this and thought I would share with you guys and see what you think.

My dotAstronomy pal Edward Gomez from the Las Cumbres Observatory is reporting that a man-made object has been spotted orbiting the sun. First noticed in the Catalina Sky Survey on May 16, it was thought to be an asteroid, but then, because of its very circular and low-inclined orbit, Richard Miles, using the Faulkes Telescope North realized it could be man-made. Now dubbed 2010 KQ, it orbits the Sun every 1.04 years, and on May 21 it came within 1.28 lunar-distances of the Earth. Miles captured this image of the object, above, and spectral analysis of 2010 KQ is consistent with UV-aged titanium dioxide paint. What could it be?

Gomez says Miles believes it could be the 4th stage of a Russian Proton rocket which launched the Luna 23 lunar sample return attempt, which was launched on October 28, 1974 and reached lunar orbit in November of that year.

Read more about it, including info on how you could possibly track the object as well, on Edward's blog. Hopefully we'll hear more about Miles' observations, too.

Source

[edit on 27-5-2010 by SeeingBlue]

i thought it was ment tobe a bit off the X37-b craft thay sent into soler orbit or mabey the reason why thay sent that X37-b moduel to see what that object is

[edit on 27/5/10 by Aceofclubs]

reply to post by SeeingBlue


If it is part of an old probe or stage of a rocket, it would be very difficult to see at about 350,000 miles (closest point to Earth).

Would this even show up?

Looking at the image you linked to, this thing looks like it has to be bigger that a bit of old rocket, surely?

Just spotted a news article posted on a popular UK technology news site about the object 2010 KQ.

The mysterious artificial object has apparently made a close pass by the Earth, coming in almost to the distance of the Moon's orbit, and is now headed away again into the interplanetary void. The object has used no propulsion during the time NASA has had it under observation. However the spacewatch boffins believe that it must have moved under its own power at some point, given its position and velocity.

Source: The Register

Looking at the trajectory of the object in the image, it appears to be moving strangely. Can any ATS members with better knowledge of this sort of thing, tell us more?

Could someone be observing something between the earth and sun?

Private satellite perhaps?

Just pondering out loud...

Interesting I wonder what it is? The Anunnaki trying to analyze us more?

Link to an up-dated article on 2010 KQ www.dailygalaxy.com...



I found an up-dated article on this object and some of the info first posted in this thread is now different then explained on post 1. Here is a quote from the article written by Casey Kazan via the Register.

"The mysterious artificial object has apparently made a close pass by the Earth, coming in almost to the distance of the Moon's orbit, and is now headed away again into the interplanetary void. The object has used no propulsion during the time NASA has had it under observation. However the spacewatch experts believe that it must have moved under its own power at some point, given its position and velocity."

What I think is most curious about what they say in this paragraph is the fact that "The object has used no propulsion during the time NASA was observing. However the spacewatch experts believe that it must have moved under its own power at some point, given it's position and velocity. In Post 1 when they were describing the object they mentioned green paint? If my recall has recalled correctly what it did say...lol

For a minute I thought maybe I was reading about 2 different objects... the article (which I have included the link) also names this object 2010KQ. The difference in information from 1 article to the other is enough for me to say...huh? lol

Another difference I see is this and I quote from the article I've linked,

"0528-NASA-space-junk_full_380 The experts believe that the object must be a spacecraft, or part of one - likely to be a booster stage from an interplanetary mission of the past, now drifting back in to Earth and out again. The next visit will probably be 2036, at which time there's a small chance that 2010 KQ will crash into the atmosphere and burn up. "

They say the next visit from this object will more then likely be in 2036. In Post 1's article they said it rotated around the sun every 1.04years... What am I missing there? If it circles the sun every 1.04years wouldn't it then still be visiting Earth so to speak?

And... they also say, " Likely to be a booster stage from an interplanetary mission...(Post 1 said Russian made...1974 launched) NOW DRIFTING back into Earth and out again. Drifting? Didn't they say that it appears this object has moved under it's own power??

Ok... I think that's all the questions and curiosities I had... thanks for anyone's time... =0)






[edit on 21-6-2010 by tracehd1]

Why is it man made? Maybe it is not natural object. But could it be an ET made?
I think its only fair to assume that a artificial object is there unless coming to a conclusion with evidence of what it is.

reply to post by tracehd1


Maybe someone like almost on the same technology like our planet has sent an object to observe space like the Hayabusa from JAXA. Considering the possiblities of alien life forms there must be primitive, advanced and in the same development phase as ours in the universe. Maybe this is something from almost same or little more advanced civilisation than our planet.

Originally posted by tracehd1
...They say the next visit from this object will more then likely be in 2036. In Post 1's article they said it rotated around the sun every 1.04years... What am I missing there? If it circles the sun every 1.04years wouldn't it then still be visiting Earth so to speak?

I could be wrong, but I suppose they mean it won't be close to the Earth again until 2036. I realize that in 1.04 years, both the Earth and this object will be in this part of space again, but the Earth itself may be not be close enough to call it "close".

Every year, The faster-orbiting Earth will come around to this part of space and be farther and farther away from the object on each successive orbit (because Earth's orbit is two weeks faster) until a point when the Earth catches up to the object again, presumably in 2036.

And... they also say, " Likely to be a booster stage from an interplanetary mission...(Post 1 said Russian made...1974 launched) NOW DRIFTING back into Earth and out again. Drifting? Didn't they say that it appears this object has moved under it's own power??

I think when they said earlier in the article that it was once under its own power they meant that they could somehow tell from studying its orbit that it was once -- before they began observing it -- under its own power.

i.e., they have never observed it moving under its own power, but they can tell that at one time it must have been under its own power. I personally don't how they can tell by looking at its orbit, but I took that to mean that they can.

A booster engine would qualify as something that was once under its own power.



[edit on 6/21/2010 by Soylent Green Is People]