Discover
Discover

Share

Download
News
/
Article

Close Icarus Approach Tests Mercury Mass, Perihelion Shift

JUN 01, 1968

DOI: 10.1063/1.3035010

Physics Today

The asteroid Icarus (PHYSICS TODAY, October 1965, page 94) will be under close optical and radar scrutiny when it swings to within 6.36 million km of the earth on 14 and 15 June. The eccentricity of its orbit provides an opportunity to check the relativistic shift of its perihelion; its close approach to Mercury and then to the earth permits calculations of Mercury’s mass relative to the earth’s. Samuel Herrick of the University of California at Los Angeles has provided 1‐day and 2‐hour ephemerides to help locate Icarus, which will never be brighter than 13th magnitude.

© 1968. American Institute of Physics
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1968_06.jpeg

Volume 21, Number 6

Related content
News
/
Article
Joyful Mdhluli manages astronomy projects that benefit society
October 23, 2025 11:17 AM
News
/
Article
Josiah Schwab evaluates self-driving cars
October 23, 2025 10:50 AM
News
/
Article
Liting Xiao searches for patterns in financial markets
October 16, 2025 11:07 AM
News
/
Article
Eric Frederick programs motion-tracking software
October 16, 2025 10:42 AM
News
/
Article
Phil Broughton keeps laboratories safe
October 09, 2025 03:25 PM
News
/
Article
Roohi Dalal advocates on Capitol Hill for the astronomy community
October 09, 2025 03:25 PM

Get PT in your inbox

Physics Today - The Week in Physics

The Week in Physics" is likely a reference to the regular updates or summaries of new physics research, such as those found in publications like Physics Today from AIP Publishing or on news aggregators like Phys.org.

Physics Today - Table of Contents
Physics Today - Whitepapers & Webinars
By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.