3 ms·
Bigger object should reflect more light, making detection more likely. In very simplified terms, say its roughly spherical, the amount of light grows with the
by m4rtink 2y ago
Bigger object should reflect more light, making detection more likely.
In very simplified terms, say its roughly spherical, the amount of light grows with the second exponent, so twice bigger object reflect 4 times as much light - but it is also potentially 8 times as heavy (eq. volume grows with third exponent) & thus more dangerous.
Trade-offs. :)
- krisoft 2y ago> Bigger object should reflect more light, making detection more likely. That assumes that the detection is photon constrained and not "nobody is looking in most directions" constrained. It doesn't matter even if the asteroid is carrying a lit magnesium torch if nobody is looking for it systematically. I'm not saying that it is the case. In fact I'm asking: are we photon constrained or are we constrained by the rate we are scanning the sky?
- svachalek 2y agoBoth, but in practice the coverage of dangerous sized objects is pretty good already and when the Vera Rubin Observatory goes online it will get an order of magnitude better.