|
The International Astronomical Union has named an asteroid '4600 Meadows' to honour Professor Jack Meadows for his contribution to Astronomy research. Professor Meadows told us, �It is very pleasing because it particularly recognises the pioneering observations of minor bodies in the Solar System that my group made using the IUE (International Ultraviolet Explorer) and IRAS (Infrared Survey) satellites�.
Discovered in September 1985, Asteroid 4600 Meadows is about 25-30 kilometres in diameter and lies three times as far away from the Sun as the Earth. We asked Professor Meadows if this asteroid would be a threat to the Earth, �As I am sure you know, the asteroids in the asteroid belt are greatly affected by the gravitational effects of Jupiter. This means that predictions concerning asteroid orbits can only be extrapolated for a certain length of time into the future. The orbit of Asteroid 4600 does not intersect the Earth's orbit at present, but it cannot be said that it will never do so�.
After leaving the University of Leicester, Professor Meadows joined Loughborough University as Professor of Library and Information Studies. Professor Meadows joins Professor Ken Pounds as the second academic associated with the University of Leicester to have an Asteroid named after him.
More info: University of Leicester
|
