And they say scientists aren't fun!
"The Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) observatories in New Mexico had recorded four images of an object moving across the sky. The measurements were sent as part of a daily batch to the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge, Mass, on the Tuesday in January.
At the Minor Planet Center, researcher Tim Spahr carried out a daily duty, using a computer program to generate trajectories for the newfound object. Spahr posted the results -- along with paths for other newly detected objects -- to a web page monitored by professional and amateur astronomers. The amateurs do the bulk of the follow-up observations that help the Minor Planet Center pin down the paths of newfound asteroids.
The presumed asteroid was temporarily designated AL00667. Spahr left for the day."
But the best line:
"Spahr, not realizing he'd posted an orbital path that went right through the Earth, had gone to dinner. "
At the Minor Planet Center, researcher Tim Spahr carried out a daily duty, using a computer program to generate trajectories for the newfound object. Spahr posted the results -- along with paths for other newly detected objects -- to a web page monitored by professional and amateur astronomers. The amateurs do the bulk of the follow-up observations that help the Minor Planet Center pin down the paths of newfound asteroids.
The presumed asteroid was temporarily designated AL00667. Spahr left for the day."
But the best line:
"Spahr, not realizing he'd posted an orbital path that went right through the Earth, had gone to dinner. "