Sibiria, Feb. 15, early in the morning ...
This day, the 15th of February, should bring along the first remarkable astronomical event of the year: the extremely close fly-by of asteroid 2012 DA14, passing by the Earth at only 9% of the Moon's distance. We had long planned a special evening with presentations and observation at the restaurant Panoramaschenke in Vienna's 10th district. A room big enough for 100 guests or more and the possibility for observation near by made this restaurant the ideal place for the event.
However, there were two things we could not have known beforehand ...
First, that at this time a meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS (Committee On the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space) was taking place at the UN office in Vienna and that Rudolf Albrecht (ESA, ESO, ÖWF), whom we have known for a long time through several cooperations, would ask, if he and in international delegation led by ambassador ret. Walther Lichem could join our event. We were happy to invite the group, without being aware who would eventually show up at our asteroid evening.
And secondly, ...
Sibiria, Feb. 15, early in the morning ...
... that this morning something extraordinary would happen in the Russian town of Chelyabinsk: in the early hours of the morning mankind witnessed the largest impact of an asteroid on Earth since the legendary Tunguska event in 1908! More than 1,200 people were injured by the asteroid with a size of 15 to 20 metres, which almost completely exploded in the atmosphere. The explosive power of 20 atomic bombs damaged 3,000 buildings.
The telephones would not stop ringing this morning ...
All of a sudden the question what the weather would be like tonight was secondary. The chances for observing 2012 DA14 - which, by the way, was completely unrelated to the asteroid in Chelyabinsk - were next to zero.
Weatherforecast - not very optimistic
Last tense preparations shortly before the presentation! The hotel-WLAN does not work. In a last-minute action I manage to get internet access via my mobile phone. Considering the weather forecast we will badly need the online live-stream. It is still unclear who of the UN-delegation will join us. On top of that an interview for Puls4 TV! We, the WAA, have our fair share of the media, while the professionals concerning media and anstronomy, Werner Gruber and Franz Kerschbaum, appear on the main evening news.
|
|
|
The guests arrive, among them the first of the international delegation.
|
|
|
The room fills well, 85 interested guests from Austria and abroad experience a remarkable asteroid evening.
The topic asteroids fascinates many people - no wonder after this morning's wake-up call ...
Let the programme begin!
Let's get started
In the first part of the presentation I introduce asteroids generally as important and ancient relicts of the solar system and explain asteroid 2012 DA14 in detail. Then our international guests arrive. The list is the Who-is-Who of asteroid research.
You are impressed? So are we!
|
|
|
Our VIP guests follow the presentation
In the second part of the presentation Anneliese Haika explains which techniques may be available in order to protect mankind from an impact from space. Such a topical issue - and in front of just those people who are discussing this topic at the UN meeting. We master this special challenge and earn praise from the experts. Sorry, but we just HAVE to be a little bit proud of it. ;-)
The forecast gave us a 1% chance of seeing 2012 DA14 live - and against all odds the sky clears at 8.30 p.m. Quickly three telescopes are set up. Our international guests are impressed - it is this kind of enthusiam of amateurs that is needed to rouse interest in the universe and space travel.
|
|
|
Waiting for a glance at the asteroid
Unfortunately the weather has no mercy; just in the area where the asteroid should be the clouds do not vanish and the mist returns. We make a group photo to remember the evening ...
Second row, f.l.t.r: Don Yeomans, ambassador Walther Lichem, Lindley Johnson, Timothy Spahr, Anneliese Haika, Georg Zotti, Thomas Jones
Front row, f.l.t.r.: Alexander Pikhard, Julia Rottier, Madhulika Guhathakurta, Mangala Sharma, Rudi Albrecht
We return to the restaurant and follow the path of 2012 DA14 live - through telescopes in Australia.
2012 SA14 live from Australien (short line in the left bottom corner of the picture)
It is impressive to see how quickly the tiny object passes by!
2012 DA14 live from Australien
It is time for questions and answers. While 2012 DA14 is making its way across the sky, our guests have the chance of asking questions. We learn about the work of the professionals, including an exciting report about the work of an astronaut on board the ISS.
|
|
|
Astrodynamics at work: Stellarium-Programmer Georg Zotti and Don Yeomans
Even without direct observation this asteroid event will be remembered as one of our club's all-time highlights. Owing to good contacts to professional astronomy and as a result of many years of high-quality activities, we have experienced an encounter of the special kind. Not only the one of our Earth with a harmless little guest from space but also an encounter of committed amateurs with top professionals.
Our special thanks to Rudi Albrecht for the confidence in our group ("If anyone can find this asteriod, it's your group") and for helping to organize the VIP visit. Special thanks, too, to our international guests for sharing this interesting evening with us. And last but not least a big thank you to all our voluteer helpers, the active club members who made this evening a complete success: Josef Berger, Christine and Kurt Bretschneider, Anneliese Haika, Alfred Kramberger, Gabriele Mitschke, Peter Pecinka, Stefi Scharlach, Franz Tatarek, Georg Zotti.
Photos: Alfred Kramberger und Alexander Pikhard
Text: Alexander Pikhard, translation: Anneliese Haika
|
Wiener Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Astronomie. www.waa.at |
