Asteroid Due for Close Approach 42
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."
It's the foot (Score:2, Funny)
By Larry Niven (Score:4, Informative)
Re:By Larry Niven (Score:1, Insightful)
Free Teen Pr0n! (Score:2)
Re:By Larry Niven (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
Re:By Larry Niven (Score:1)
lunar runin (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:lunar runin (Score:2)
Re:lunar runin (Score:1)
Re:lunar runin (Score:2)
We're fine... (Score:5, Funny)
We'll be fine. (Score:5, Funny)
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.
Already Passed. (Score:5, Informative)
The article from CNN [cnn.com] talks about it already whizzing past.
Bit late .... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Bit late .... (Score:3, Interesting)
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)
Asteriod: (Score:1)
Scale map (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Scale map (Score:1)
How on earth did you know I was wearing my blue sombrero today?
Re:Scale map (Score:2)
Re:Scale map (Score:2)
Re:Scale map (Score:2)
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)
Re:News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... (Score:2)
you know..... the grammatical error in there seems fitting
A bit late (Score:1)
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)
Where's Ben Affleck when you need him? (Score:1)
Obligatory.... (Score:1)
Re:Obligatory.... (Score:2)
Map Of Close Nearby Asteroids (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Map Of Close Nearby Asteroids (Score:2)
Photographs of Asteroid? (Score:3, Interesting)
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.
Re:Photographs of Asteroid? (Score:1)
Not complete mind you. I doubt anything ever will be.
Re:Photographs of Asteroid? (Score:2)
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