Tony Dunn
@tony873004.bsky.social
2K followers 310 following 250 posts
Orbit simulations of planets, comets, asteroids and other interesting stuff. Amateur astronomer. BA: Physics & Astronomy, SFSU.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
tony873004.bsky.social
Do the Hawaii surveys do the same?
tony873004.bsky.social
Nice find. Yes, your Mt. Lemmon Survey was first. Thanks for finding all these interesting rocks. It seems like there's been quite an uptick recently. Sep & Oct always produce a lot. It is the increase in night time hours, non-crowded Milky Way background unlike summer months or something else?
tony873004.bsky.social
After last week's asteroid buzzed over Antarctica, the North Pole gets its turn. Newly-discovered #asteroid 2025 TQ2 (2-4 meters wide) passed 3,000 miles above the Fortress of Solitude. #Astronomy
tony873004.bsky.social
It's now known as 2025 TF, and passed 410 km above the penguins. Previously, there was 2020 QG at 3000 km. And if you want to start a debate, the "Great Fireball" of August 10, 1972 passed through Earth's atmosphere before returning to space. I think there were a few others, but I could be wrong.
tony873004.bsky.social
Interstellar #comet 3I/ATLAS is hidden on the far side of the Sun from Earth. But today it sweeps past Mars, where orbiting spacecraft have ringside seats. Let’s hope they look up. #astronomy #NASA
tony873004.bsky.social
It 1-2 meters, so yeah. Nice light show for the penguins and maybe a small sonic boom.
tony873004.bsky.social
If you were in Antarctica, here's the #asteroid's path across the twilight sky.
tony873004.bsky.social
An #asteroid passed just 300 km above Antarctica earlier today. It was not discovered until hours after close approach.
tony873004.bsky.social
10 #asteroids passed closer than the Moon in a 5-day period from September 23-28. All were discovered this month. The largest up to 41 meters wide. #astronomy
tony873004.bsky.social
You might catch 3I in December.
tony873004.bsky.social
October's comets. SWAN C/2025 R2, and Lemmon (C/2025 A6). Our interstellar visitor 3I/Atlas aka C/2025 N1, is unfortunately on the wrong side of the Sun for viewing, but I included it anyway because... well... it's interstellar. #Astronomy
tony873004.bsky.social
#Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a ~4 % chance of hitting the Moon on Dec 22 2032. A strike could spike micrometeoroid flux in low Earth orbit ~1000×, endangering satellites—so researchers even study nuclear disruption. arxiv.org/pdf/2509.12351
My sim: 2000 clones; 72 hit.
tony873004.bsky.social
Yesterday, newly-discovered #asteroid 2025 SU4 🦒passed closer than our geostationary satellites.
tony873004.bsky.social
#SanFrancisco Earthquake just now. Shaking started before the cell phone alert sounded.
tony873004.bsky.social
I usually only make those mistakes in January.
tony873004.bsky.social
In the last 6 days, 9 asteroids passed inside the Moon’s orbit. Estimated sizes: ~1–38 m. All were discovered this month, a reminder that countless small, faint NEOs slip by unnoticed until they make a close pass.
tony873004.bsky.social
It might seem scary that two mega-Chelyabinsks passed closer than the Moon this week. Good news: Earth is a small target. Even with gravitational lensing, our planet is only about 80% the size of a dartboard’s bullseye compared to the board itself. In fact, 2013 was the last time I had a bullseye.
tony873004.bsky.social
It might seem scary that two mega-Chelyabinsks passed closer than the Moon this week. Good news: Earth is a small target. Even with gravitational lensing, our planet is only about 80% the size of a dartboard’s bullseye compared to the board itself. In fact, 2013 was the last time I had a bullseye.
tony873004.bsky.social
I'll bet the clouds were bumming you out as prepared to take this image. In hindsight, they added a nice touch to your picture.
Reposted by Tony Dunn
joseptrigo.bsky.social
El recientemente descubierto #asteroide #2025RJ2 pasará a solo 13.000 km de la #Luna. Cada vez el rastreo con los programas de seguimiento digitales son más efectivos. Vivimos una auténtica revolución como explico en:
theconversation.com/la-revolucio...
@planetarysociety.bsky.social
#PlanetSci 👇
tony873004.bsky.social
Tomorrow, newly-discovered #asteroid 2025 RJ2 will miss the Moon by 13,000 km. Shortly before close approach, it will pass through the Moon's shadow.
tony873004.bsky.social
Tomorrow, newly-discovered #asteroid 2025 RJ2 will miss the Moon by 13,000 km. Shortly before close approach, it will pass through the Moon's shadow.
tony873004.bsky.social
A quasi-satellite isn’t a moon. It shares Earth’s year and, in Earth’s rotating frame, loops around Earth while staying Sun-bound.
Earth's past and present quasi satellites.
tony873004.bsky.social
A simulation of Earth's present and former quasi satellites as described in the Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos paper iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3... including newly-discovered 2025 PN7, first recognized as quasi by
@AdrienCoffinet
Reposted by Tony Dunn
marwellaspaceart.bsky.social
Total lunar eclipse (Blood Moon) from Bangka Island, Indonesia.

It was very cloudy, I almost gave up. Then in the last few minutes before the totality ended, the wind suddenly changed direction and I saw the faint sight of the moon.
Blood moon from Bangka Island, Indonesia Blood moon with some stars The end of totality and back to partial phase