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Re: Elongated asteroids


>Have we yet determined the composition of 1999 An10 (or the shape)?  Is it
>far enough now from the glare of the sun to know it's exact magnitude for
>determining it's composition or is there another way to determine
>composition at this stage of it's orbit?

I haven't heard if any spectra measurements have been taken on the asteroid.

> Further, if it is an iron, couldn't we consider using alternate methods of
>deflecting it other than with solid matter,  for example with, say, a
>massive repelling magnetic field whose source emanates from a space station
>somewhere at a safe distance from the atmosphere?  This is sounding quite
>sci-fi and quite 21th century science as well.

I recently saw a TV show using magnetism for levitation.
They essentially built a huge magnet, and were able to levitate
small objects, and even a frog, within a magnetic field.  However, the 
machinery to do this weighed a couple of tons.  It didn't seem feasible to 
build a magnet large enough to levitate a human being, nor does it seem 
feasible to deflect an asteroid weighing a few millions tons with magnetism.  
And even if you were able to build such a huge magnet, you run the risk of 
attracting an iron asteroid instead of repelling it.

Ron Baalke

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