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Asteroid Due for Close Approach 42

Posted by Hemos on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:22AM from the ka-FOOOM dept.

mernil writes "BBC Reports "A giant space rock was set to whizz past the Earth on Monday under the close scrutiny of astronomers. The mountain-sized object had been classed as a "potentially hazardous asteroid", but scientists say there was no danger of a collision with Earth. [...] At this time calculations suggested it would be about 268,873 miles (432,709km) from the Earth, only 1.1 times the planet's distance from the Moon."

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Asteroid Due for Close Approach

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It's the foot (Score:2, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes:

Lay on your back and let them take your surrender and they'll stop doing this.
- By Larry Niven (Score:4, Informative)
  
  by PIPBoy3000 ( 619296 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:54AM (#15650014)
  
  I almost rated this as "off topic" until I realized it was a reference to Footfall [wikipedia.org], by Larry Niven. It refers to showing submission so that agressive actions stop. Strangely put, but at least I understand the post now.
  
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  - Re:By Larry Niven (Score:1, Insightful)
    
    by Anonymous Coward writes:
    
    Too many mods are all too quick to mod down what they don't understand. If you're going to mod and you don't understand something don't just to the first conclusion that it's off topic. There is vast amounts of knowledge floating about, don't be surprised if you missed one or two bits of it.
    - Free Teen Pr0n! (Score:2)
      
      by PIPBoy3000 ( 619296 ) writes:
      
      It's on topic and highly relevant, really. ;)
  - Re:By Larry Niven (Score:4, Interesting)
    
    by PriceIke ( 751512 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @02:56PM (#15651603)
    
    WOW, Footfall. I read that for the first time sixteen years ago, when I was a college undergrad. There are images still in my head from that book, like them using an Orion concept vehicle in the atmosphere and how oddly unsettled I was whenever they announced over the intercom: "Accelleration. Stand by."
    
    And of course that emotionally wrenching choice the President must make at the very end of the book. That scene still haunts me to this day.
    
    Incredible book. Thanks for bringing up the memories. And oh yeah, I hope we don't all die today because they calculated with inches instead of centimeters.
    
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    - Re:By Larry Niven (Score:1)
      
      by fifedrum ( 611338 ) writes:
      
      that book left it's mark in my brain too, funny how the scenes in the orion vehicle are still so clearly etched. That and the mulch pile...
lunar runin (Score:4, Interesting)

by escay ( 923320 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:27AM (#15649864) Journal

so is there a chance that it will hit the moon?

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- Re:lunar runin (Score:2)
  
  by Ant P. ( 974313 ) writes:
  
  Or worse, pull it off orbit.
- Re:lunar runin (Score:1)
  
  by Doc Ri ( 900300 ) writes:
  
  Probably not. Just because an object passes by at roughly the distance to the moon does not mean it comes anywhere close to the moon. There are two more dimensions, you know.
  - Re:lunar runin (Score:2)
    
    by SEWilco ( 27983 ) writes:
    
    Two more dimensions and time. The Moon ain't there at this time.
We're fine... (Score:5, Funny)

by smaerd ( 954708 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:29AM (#15649875)

... I mean, I can shoot those babies down no problem... unless one of those annoying UFOs shows up.. I can never shoot those fast enough. *duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh*

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We'll be fine. (Score:5, Funny)

by ScentCone ( 795499 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:30AM (#15649882)

The universe would not allow earth's civilization to end until after Pixar releases "Ratatooie." Otherwise, the cosmos will not yet have been properly balanced, in terms of Really Good Jokes About French Cooking(tm).

Also, Capital One won't let civilization end as long as I'm carrying a balance, so we can rely their Astroid Defense System, which works 21.5% even more than necessary. So, there's redundancy.

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Already Passed. (Score:5, Informative)

by sglider ( 648795 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:31AM (#15649889) Homepage Journal

This, as Adam Sandler would say, is news that would have been better if it had been brought to my attention yesterday!!!!!.

The article from CNN [cnn.com] talks about it already whizzing past.

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Bit late .... (Score:3, Informative)

by stuckinarut ( 891702 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:32AM (#15649892)

The asteroid has already passed at 04:44 GMT across North America

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- Re:Bit late .... (Score:3, Interesting)
  
  by canuck57 ( 662392 ) writes:
  
  The asteroid has already passed at 04:44 GMT across North America
  Shaved past North America is closer to the point. 268,873 miles is nothing in cosmic terms and no doubt close enough for earths magenetic field to influence it. This was a close call.
hehehehe...whizz... (Score:2)

by gEvil (beta) ( 945888 ) writes:

Hey, at least it's not gonna whizz on the Earth.
- Asteriod: (Score:1)
  
  by Jasper__unique_dammi ( 901401 ) writes:
  
  whhhhhhhiiizzzzzzzz......
Scale map (Score:5, Informative)

by linvir ( 970218 ) * writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:35AM (#15649902)

I've tried to knock together a bit of a scale map [linuxvirus.net] to help visualise some of the proportions.

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- Re:Scale map (Score:1)
  
  by LiquidCoooled ( 634315 ) writes:
  
  Thats an awfully clever maap you've made.
  
  How on earth did you know I was wearing my blue sombrero today?
  - Re:Scale map (Score:2)
    
    by linvir ( 970218 ) * writes:
    
    Google Maaps
- Re:Scale map (Score:2)
  
  by R3d M3rcury ( 871886 ) writes:
  
  It needs a scale measured in "Libraries of Congress" or "Volkswagens."
- Re:Scale map (Score:2)
  
  by bar-agent ( 698856 ) writes:
  
  There's a diagram that gives a better sense of proportion here. [wikipedia.org] There is a lot of room between us and the moon.
  
  Just for kicks, here's the Moon vs. Phobos. [merzo.net] The asteroid in question is about 1/30 the size of Phobos. Now imagine that asteroid in the Wikipedia diagram.
  
  Space is big. Really big.
  
  I think you'll agree that we had nothing to worry about.
  
  (P.S. You can also see the Moon vs. Unicron ibid. :) )
News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... (Score:4, Funny)

by Bob(TM) ( 104510 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @10:39AM (#15649927)

News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... Yesterday.

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- Re:News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... (Score:2)
  
  by moosesocks ( 264553 ) writes:
  
  News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... Yesterday.
  
  you know..... the grammatical error in there seems fitting
A bit late (Score:1)

by Jboost ( 960475 ) writes:

"Its closest approach to Earth, above the west coast of North America, was projected at 0444 GMT."
So people in American (and parts of Asia) could have observed this 10 hours ago (if they knew about it).

See you on april 13 2029 when the next asteroid will be visible to the naked eye on earth.
- Re:A bit late (Score:1)
  
  by ezratrumpet ( 937206 ) writes:
  
  Unless there's another one coming before then that THEY just forgot to mention.....
Where's Ben Affleck when you need him? (Score:1)

by Robot Randy ( 982296 ) writes:

Or at least Robert Duval...
Obligatory.... (Score:1)

by Belgarion89 ( 969077 ) writes:

That's no asteroid, it's a space station.
- Re:Obligatory.... (Score:2)
  
  by nelsonal ( 549144 ) writes:
  
  Nope it's just my planetary golf ball. Yet another black hole in one for me (in a few melinnia).
Map Of Close Nearby Asteroids (Score:5, Informative)

by szyzyg ( 7313 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @11:38AM (#15650328)

Back when I used to call myself an astronomer I coded up this map [arm.ac.uk] which shows the releative postitions of all asteroids in the vicinity of the earth. If you've ever played the classic video game 'Elite' then you won't have any trouble understanding the map.

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- Re:Map Of Close Nearby Asteroids (Score:2)
  
  by nelsonal ( 549144 ) writes:
  
  I was trying to twist it around (could you do that in Elite? I remember doing it in Elite 3. Might have to dust off the ole dosbox and give my Osprey toole about the ole solar system.
Photographs of Asteroid? (Score:3, Interesting)

by Rob Carr ( 780861 ) writes: on Monday July 03, 2006 @12:49PM (#15650837) Homepage Journal

Does anyone know where to look for photographs taken by amateur photographers of this asteroid?
When things like this come up (eclipses, occultations of Pleiades, etc.), it would be nice to have a central location where one could go to find links to the photos.
I should know this, but I don't. I guess I'm only an "amateur" amateur astronomer.

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- Re:Photographs of Asteroid? (Score:1)
  
  by tqft ( 619476 ) writes:
  
  spaceweather.com does a pretty good job of finding, collecting and linking to all this sort of stuff.
  
  Not complete mind you. I doubt anything ever will be.
- Re:Photographs of Asteroid? (Score:2)
  
  by shadowbearer ( 554144 ) writes:
  
  Here is a good place to start (note, not permalink, scroll down) http://spaceweather3.com/ [spaceweather3.com]
  
  look for xp14
  
  I've emailed spaceweather about their lack of permalinks, anyone know why they don't answer?
  
  Or am I missing something?
  
  SB

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Ya'll hear about the geometer who went to the beach to catch some rays and became a tangent ?