Why does Toutatis never collide with Earth?

It may have been sculpted by impacts into a single, coherent body, or Toutatis might actually consist of two separate objects that came together in a gentle collision. Toutatis does not spin about a single axis. Instead, its spin vector traces a curve around the asteroid’s surface once every 5.41 days.

What was the date of Toutatis closest approach?

Sep. 29, 2004
The Sep. 29, 2004, approach is the closest in this century of any known asteroid at least as large as Toutatis (or more precisely, of any known asteroid with an absolute magnitude as small as H = 15.30). Click here for close-approach tables.

Does Toutatis orbit the sun?

1,471 days
4179 Toutatis/Orbital period

Who discovered Toutatis?

Christian Pollas
4179 Toutatis/Discoverers

What is Toutatis the god of?

Toutatis or Teutates is a Celtic god who was worshipped in ancient Gaul and Britain. On the basis of his name’s etymology, he has been widely interpreted to be a tribal protector.

What if Toutatis hit Earth?

Toutatis would cause catastrophic damage if it ever did slam into Earth, potentially extinguishing humanity and many other species. In general, scientists think a strike by anything at least 0.6 miles (1 km) wide could have global consequences, most likely by altering the world’s climate for many years to come.

Can Toutatis hit Earth?

Toutatis never posed a threat to Earth on its recent flyby, and researchers say there is no chance it will hit our planet over the next four centuries or so. Asteroid Toutatis makes one trip around the sun every four years.

What does Toutatis mean in English?

Who is the Celtic god of time?

the Dagda
One of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Dagda is portrayed as a father-figure, king, and druid. He is associated with fertility, agriculture, manliness and strength, as well as magic, druidry and wisdom. He can control life and death, the weather and crops, as well as time and the seasons.

Who was the first Celtic god?

Teutates, also spelled Toutates (Celtic: “God of the People”), important Celtic deity, one of three mentioned by the Roman poet Lucan in the 1st century ad, the other two being Esus (“Lord”) and Taranis (“Thunderer”).

Is Toutatis a threat to Earth?

Toutatis never posed a threat to Earth on its recent flyby, and researchers say there is no chance it will hit our planet over the next four centuries or so. (Beyond that time, the asteroid’s orbit cannot be accurately computed.) Asteroid Toutatis makes one trip around the sun every four years.

How big is Toutatis?

1.225 km
4179 Toutatis/Radius

When was asteroid 4179 Toutatis discovered by c.pollas?

Asteroid 4179 Toutatis. Asteroid 4179 Toutatis (formerly 1989 AC) was discovered by C. Pollas on January 4, 1989, at Caussols, France, on photographic plates taken on the 0.9-m Schmidt telescope by Alain Maury and Derral Mulholland during astrometric observations of Jupiter’s faint satellites. Toutatis is the long streak in this image.

How big is the asteroid Toutatis in kilometers?

Toutatis is about 4.6 kilometers (3 miles) long and the resolution of the computer model is about 84 meters. Toutatis has one of the strangest rotation states yet observed in the solar system. Instead of the spinning about a single axis as do the planets and the vast majority of asteroids, it “tumbles” somewhat like a football after a botched pass.

When did Toutatis come close to the Earth?

In December 2012, Toutatis passed within about 18 lunar distances of Earth. The Chinese lunar probe Chang’e 2 flew by the asteroid at a distance of 3.2 kilometers and a relative velocity of 10.73 km/s. Toutatis approached Earth again in 2016, but will not make another notably close approach until 2069.

How big is the space rock called Toutatis?

Image above: An artist’s concept of Toutatis. Image courtesy: NASA/JPL. Named after an obscure Celtic and Gallic god, Toutatis is a yam-shaped space rock that measures 1.92 kilometers (1.2 miles) by 2.29 kilometers (1.4 miles) by 4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles).