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Huge Asteriod Will Barely Miss Earth Nov. 8
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Huge Asteriod Will Barely Miss Earth Nov. 8Posted:
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - An asteroid bigger
than an aircraft carrier will dart between the
Earth and moon on Tuesday _ the closest
encounter by such a huge rock in 35 years.
But scientists say not to worry. It won't hit.
"We're extremely confident, 100 percent
confident, that this is not a threat," said the
manager of NASA's Near Earth Object Program,
Don Yeomans. "But it is an opportunity."
The asteroid named 2005 YU55 is being
watched by ground antennas as it approaches
from the direction of the sun. The last time it
came within so-called shouting distance was
200 years ago.
Closest approach will occur at 6: 28 p. m. EDT
Tuesday when the asteroid passes within
202,000 miles of Earth. That's closer than the
roughly 240,000 miles between the Earth and
the moon.
The moon will be just under 150, 000 miles from
the asteroid at the time of closest approach.
Both the Earth and moon are safe _ "this time,"
said Jay Melosh, professor of Earth and
atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
If 2005 YU55 were to plow into the home
planet, it would blast out a crater four miles
across and 1,700 feet deep, according to
Melosh's calculations. Think a magnitude-7
earthquake and 70- foot-high tsunami waves.
Scientists have been tracking the slowly
spinning, spherical, dark- colored object since its
discovery in 2005, and are positive it won't do
any damage.
"We know the orbit of this object very well,"
Yeomans said.
The asteroid stretches a quarter- mile across.
Smaller objects come close all the time,
Yeomans noted, but nothing this big will have
ventured so close since 1976. And nothing this
large will again until 2028.
Radar observations from California and Puerto
Rico will help scientists ascertain whether the
asteroid is pockmarked with craters and holds
any water- bearing minerals or even frozen
water.
Amateur astronomers would need a 6- inch-or-
bigger telescope and know exactly where to look
to spot it.
Astronomers consider 2005 YU55 a C-type
asteroid _ one containing carbon- based
materials. "It's not just a whirling rock like most
of them," Yeomans said.
Such objects are believed to have brought
carbon-based materials and water to the early
Earth, planting the seeds for life. The discovery
of water- bearing minerals or ice would support
that theory, Yeomans said.
This is the type of asteroid that NASA would
want to aim for, with astronauts, Yeomans said,
especially if frozen water is found. Such
asteroids could serve as watering holes and
fueling stations for future explorers, he said.
An asteroid is actually on NASA's short list for
destinations.
President Barack Obama wants astronauts
headed to an asteroid and then Mars in the
coming decades. That's why the 30- year space
shuttle program ceased this summer _ so NASA
could have enough money to get cracking on
these new destinations.
As for an actual strike by an asteroid this size,
that's estimated to occur once every 100,000
years or so.
An asteroid named Apophis _ estimated to be
885 feet across _ will venture extremely close
on April 13, 2029 _ but will not strike. It has a
remote chance of hitting Earth when it comes
around again on April 13, 2036.
Scientists said information gleaned from 2005
YU55, as well as other asteroids, will prove
useful if and when it becomes necessary to
deflect an incoming Armageddon- style rock.
than an aircraft carrier will dart between the
Earth and moon on Tuesday _ the closest
encounter by such a huge rock in 35 years.
But scientists say not to worry. It won't hit.
"We're extremely confident, 100 percent
confident, that this is not a threat," said the
manager of NASA's Near Earth Object Program,
Don Yeomans. "But it is an opportunity."
The asteroid named 2005 YU55 is being
watched by ground antennas as it approaches
from the direction of the sun. The last time it
came within so-called shouting distance was
200 years ago.
Closest approach will occur at 6: 28 p. m. EDT
Tuesday when the asteroid passes within
202,000 miles of Earth. That's closer than the
roughly 240,000 miles between the Earth and
the moon.
The moon will be just under 150, 000 miles from
the asteroid at the time of closest approach.
Both the Earth and moon are safe _ "this time,"
said Jay Melosh, professor of Earth and
atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
If 2005 YU55 were to plow into the home
planet, it would blast out a crater four miles
across and 1,700 feet deep, according to
Melosh's calculations. Think a magnitude-7
earthquake and 70- foot-high tsunami waves.
Scientists have been tracking the slowly
spinning, spherical, dark- colored object since its
discovery in 2005, and are positive it won't do
any damage.
"We know the orbit of this object very well,"
Yeomans said.
The asteroid stretches a quarter- mile across.
Smaller objects come close all the time,
Yeomans noted, but nothing this big will have
ventured so close since 1976. And nothing this
large will again until 2028.
Radar observations from California and Puerto
Rico will help scientists ascertain whether the
asteroid is pockmarked with craters and holds
any water- bearing minerals or even frozen
water.
Amateur astronomers would need a 6- inch-or-
bigger telescope and know exactly where to look
to spot it.
Astronomers consider 2005 YU55 a C-type
asteroid _ one containing carbon- based
materials. "It's not just a whirling rock like most
of them," Yeomans said.
Such objects are believed to have brought
carbon-based materials and water to the early
Earth, planting the seeds for life. The discovery
of water- bearing minerals or ice would support
that theory, Yeomans said.
This is the type of asteroid that NASA would
want to aim for, with astronauts, Yeomans said,
especially if frozen water is found. Such
asteroids could serve as watering holes and
fueling stations for future explorers, he said.
An asteroid is actually on NASA's short list for
destinations.
President Barack Obama wants astronauts
headed to an asteroid and then Mars in the
coming decades. That's why the 30- year space
shuttle program ceased this summer _ so NASA
could have enough money to get cracking on
these new destinations.
As for an actual strike by an asteroid this size,
that's estimated to occur once every 100,000
years or so.
An asteroid named Apophis _ estimated to be
885 feet across _ will venture extremely close
on April 13, 2029 _ but will not strike. It has a
remote chance of hitting Earth when it comes
around again on April 13, 2036.
Scientists said information gleaned from 2005
YU55, as well as other asteroids, will prove
useful if and when it becomes necessary to
deflect an incoming Armageddon- style rock.
#2. Posted:
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If it did hit i suppose that ruins peoples day on mw3...
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#3. Posted:
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Did you even read anything past the title?
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#4. Posted:
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Well there goes MW3
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#5. Posted:
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Bigger than an aircraft carrier? Thats not that big in space i dont think. Just imagine space And how big Ish gets out there.
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#6. Posted:
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Why can't they just send out missiles to blow it up not near the earth, so then there is no threat?
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#7. Posted:
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If it hits, that means no skyrim! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
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#8. Posted:
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I can't trust NASA anymore after the space derby....
"It might land today, tommrow, 3 or 4 days from now"
#nasalie
"It might land today, tommrow, 3 or 4 days from now"
#nasalie
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#9. Posted:
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It wont hit earth, wont even be close. About 100,000 miles or more.
Last edited by nhadobas123 ; edited 1 time in total
Last edited by nhadobas123 ; edited 1 time in total
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#10. Posted:
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KeiranWins wrote Why can't they just send out missiles to blow it up not near the earth, so then there is no threat?
because if fragments hit earth it wall cause an even more devastating result.
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