Call me behind the times, but I didn't know we already had "Cruithne"--and now this "J002E2" seems gyped in comparison with such a hard name to learn. If it stays, do we mebbe call it "Jo" for short?
>but I didn't know we already had "Cruithne"
Nor did I. I don't even know how to say it.
Wonderful site, Wolf! Thanks for the link--I printed it out...and the pronunciation is there, too.
Gaelic words of note:
cruitheachd
nf.ind. form, conformation; the creation, universe
cruithear
nm. g.v. -eir; pl.+an, creator
The -ne suffix seems to be an intensifier.
FWIW
D'oh! Finally read wofa's site.
Here's another interesting one, with orbital simulations.
http://burtleburtle.net/bob/physics/cruithne.html
I never cease to be amazed at all of the fascinating information we get here on AWAD. And it made me wonder -- what the heck are we missing. There's only a double score or so of us who post regularly. Can you imagine what kind of stuff we'd see if there were a hundred or so regulars posting this fascinating stuff.
Truly the web is a vast and wonderful place.
Absolutely right TEd. I hear that NASA has said that J002E2 has turned out to be a piece of space shuttle detritus. Shame really, especially for the guy who "found" it. Still, it was interesting to learn about horseshoe orbits, LaGrange points and so on. Like revisiting old physics lectures. The universe too is vast and wonderful - and pretty weird come to that!
dxb.