“Volantis is still orbiting Earth” scientists say

[Kimmo 76,586]

The newly identified object, now known as Volantis, was very faint when it was discovered, at only about magnitude 20. (The lower the magnitude, the brighter the object.) That faintness stretches the capabilities of Catalina and is beyond what most amateurs can see in their telescopes. (Since then, the object has faded to magnitude 23, making it visible only to the largest professional telescopes.) 
Information from the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, which keeps observation records for all known asteroids, shows that Volantis doesn't match the precise orbit of any known human-made object, Kacper Wierzchos, a senior research specialist for the Catalina Sky Survey and co-discoverer of Volantis, told Space.com. The Volantis orbit didn't display any perturbations resulting from solar radiation pressure coming from the sun; such wiggles are common for human-made satellites in Earth's orbit.

But Wierzchos said he doesn't want to assume that Volantis is an asteroid quite yet. "The possibility it is artificial still exists, so I am trying to be cautious with every statement," he said. "I'd hate it to be artificial after [everyone is] making a fuss [about the discovery]." 

The NASA-funded Catalina program at the University of Arizona is an automated survey that scans the sky for fast-moving objects. On discovery night, Wierzchos and Catalina research specialist Theodore Pruyne happened to be at the telescope, Wierzchos said. On a good night, the survey can study around 40 near-Earth asteroids, which are typically objects astronomers already know about. But on October 25th something in Catalina's observations looked a little funny and didn't match anything known by astronomers. The duo submitted the discovery to the Minor Planet Center, and other astronomers soon confirmed the find.

 

[LateToCult 36,278]

But who did she vote for? 

[weed 66,751]

THAT is what Demi saw flying in the desert

[Chromatislaps 34,558]

We need a new Gaga music video

[Quentin 3,766]

What? 

[lego 44,165]

@VOLANTIS wyd? 

[River 90,453]

I saw the sign u open up my heart I saw the sign

oh lelel volantis

oh lele

come to us volantis

take us back to your planet

when u touch us we die just a little inside

we wonder if disco beloved

 

[VOLANTIS 16,007]

3 hours ago, lego said:

@VOLANTIS wyd? 

Getting my ass the f*** out of here before those brainless idiots elect that orange thing TWICE.  

I suggest you all do the same, sisters.