Sentry (monitoring system)
Sentry is a highly automated collision monitoring system that continually scans the most current asteroid catalog for possibilities of future impact with Earth over the next 100 years.[1] Whenever a potential impact is detected it will be analyzed and the results immediately published on the Near Earth Object Program.[1]
Two or three weeks of optical data is not enough to conclusively identify an impact years in the future.[2] By contrast, eliminating an entry on the risk page is a negative prediction; a prediction of where it will NOT be.[2] As far as the public is concerned, it just isn't worth getting worried about an object with a couple weeks of optical data showing a possible Earth encounter years from now.[2]
The Impact Risk page lists a number of lost objects such as 2004 BX159 that are, for all practical purposes, permanent residents of the risk page; their removal may depend upon a serendipitous rediscovery.[3] Some objects on the Sentry Risk Table, such as 2000 SG344, might even be man-made.
Notable objects on the risk page include (numbered asteroids listed first): 99942 Apophis, (101955) 1999 RQ36, 2011 AG5, 2007 VK184, and 1994 WR12.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Sentry Risk Table". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. 14 Oct 2011. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
- ^ a b c Jon Giorgini (30 July 2002). "Understanding Risk Pages". Columbine, Inc. (hohmanntransfer). http://www.hohmanntransfer.com/by/giorgjon.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-21.
- ^ "IMPACT RISK ASSESSMENT: AN INTRODUCTION". NASA/JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office. 31 Aug 2005. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/doc/sentry.html. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
[edit] External Links
- SENTRY - An Automatic Near-Earth Asteroid Collision Monitoring System@ neo.jpl.nasa.gov
- IMPACT RISK ASSESSMENT: AN INTRODUCTION
- Sentry Risk Table
- NEODyS CLOMON2
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