Asteroid to pass by Earth this week

remmettn · #1 04/07/10, 10:38 PM

Newfound Asteroid Will Fly Close by Earth Thursday

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/201004...yearththursday
Tariq Malik
SPACE.com Managing Editor
SPACE.com tariq Malik
space.com Managing Editor
space.com – Tue Apr 6, 7:30 pm ET
A newly discovered asteroid will zip close by Earth Thursday, but poses no threat of crashing into our planet even though it is passing within the orbit of the moon.
The asteroid, called 2010 GA6, is a relatively small space rock about 71 feet (22 meters) wide and was discovered by astronomers with the Catalina Sky Survey in Tucson, Az. The space rock will fly within the orbit of the moon when it passes Earth Thursday at 7:06 p.m. EDT (2306 GMT), but NASA astronomers said not to worry...the planet is safe.

...the planet is safe....the planet is safe....the planet is safe.

Ernie · #2 04/08/10, 08:09 AM

Someone needs to alert Bruce Willis, just in case.

Michael Kawalek · #3 04/08/10, 09:41 AM

I don't know, I'd prefer Robert Duvall!

texican · #4 04/08/10, 06:45 PM

I'll be diverting all power to overhead shields!

Thanks for the warning... my imminent disaster alert hadn't come in yet!

blooba · #5 04/08/10, 07:04 PM

Shall I get my catchers mitt out just in case?
71 ft burned up in the atmosphere might end up the size of a baseball

Kumquat · #6 04/08/10, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blooba

Shall I get my catchers mitt out just in case?
71 ft burned up in the atmosphere might end up the size of a baseball

Oh, it wouldn't be very big, assuming it didn't completely blow up in the atmosphere, but it would still have a heck of a lot of momentum behind it. I wouldn't recommend trying to catch it.

Smokesignals · #7 04/08/10, 08:30 PM

Makes me wonder how many more are out there that we don't know about.

I also wonder if the Government would actually tell us about it if they discovered one a collision course with Earth. My guess is that we would find out about it when it hit.

remmettn · #8 04/08/10, 09:23 PM

They “just” discovered the asteroid that makes me wonder what if it was a hit.
What if it was a hit with just 24 hours?

doodlemom · #9 04/08/10, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remmettn

They “just” discovered the asteroid that makes me wonder what if it was a hit.
What if it was a hit with just 24 hours?

That would suck if one was given 24 hours notice that an asteroid would wipe them out. I'd rather not know about things like that which are out of my control. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised at the last minute.

texican · #10 04/10/10, 12:41 PM

In all seriousness, it would be nice to know a tad bit sooner. If the strike wasn't direct, a well prepared bunker, with a decade or so's worth of food and supplies, might allow a family to survive. If it's an ELE, well, thing's be rough for a few days, I reckon, and then we'd all meet our makers, our ancestors, or the microbes (questionable if 'worms' would make it or not). I think microbes would survive.

damoc · #11 04/10/10, 12:57 PM

I doubt we will get any notice even if TPTB have good warning.they could know something is going to hit us hard in 6 to 12 months but they would keep it quiet to avoid panic and rightfully so i think.

otherwise we may interfere with thier evacuation plans we may even demand entry into these huge underground shelters i hear about.

manygoatsnmore · #12 04/11/10, 12:02 AM

Well, it missed us this time...I keep hearing about one that is supposed to come fairly close to us on this lap, but sometime in the future could be a direct hit. I guess that if it's a big one, we can all kiss our tails goodbye. I don't think TPTB could keep an asteroid a total secret - too many blogs and scientists out there to muzzle them all. Personally, if there was a good chance that I could survive, like a smaller asteroid or hit on the other side of the world or something, I'd want to know. If it wasn't survivable, I'd just as soon be oblivious.

Hmmm, time for a re-read of Alan's book, methinks!

willbuck1 · #13 04/11/10, 11:48 AM

We have only located a tiny fraction of the near earth asteroids out there.

As for destroying an asteroid the experts say that hitting it with a nuke just breaks it in tinier pieces. I think that is a wonderful idea. Break it up. Smaller pieces means more surface area which means more burns up in atmosphere. For some reason they don't us to try. Me, I want the best shot at survival I can get.

bowdonkey · #14 04/11/10, 04:41 PM

It's Sunday, looks like I made it. Are the rest of you OK?

**Shrek** · #15 04/11/10, 05:30 PM

The Cosmos is always spitballing the Earth. The Vogons will excercise emminent domain and blast this rock out to make room for the interstellar off ramp first anyway. Lets just hope they dont recite us poetry first

BamaSpek · #16 04/12/10, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie

Someone needs to alert Bruce Willis, just in case.

Thanks Ernie..........I spewed my coffee! OMG that was funny.

AngieM2 · #17 04/12/10, 08:28 AM

I don't know if I made it - was watching "Astroid I and II" on the SyFy channel. They had problems, but in the end basically made it.

Ernie · #18 04/12/10, 09:01 AM

Did the world end? I was so busy this weekend I didn't get a chance to check.

naturelover · #19 04/12/10, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernie

Did the world end? I was so busy this weekend I didn't get a chance to check.

Nope. It waved at me as it went by and said "Just checking in, all is well and normal, carry on". Just like an old-fashioned town crier.

.

Jim-mi · #20 04/12/10, 08:13 PM

Well now that Nobammma has decried to put all nukes under his lock and key and probably in a Yuca Flats type repository . . .the chances of firing a nuke intercept are/have gotten slimmer.
Plus it would take a year of hot air release from the politicos to make anything happen.

So carry on all..............

prep and pray