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Oops, asteroid scrapes by Earth...

StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
in Zocalo v2.0
[URL="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1226672/Asteroid-scrapes-past-Earth-just-8-700miles-away--15-hours-warning.html?ITO=1490&referrer=yahoo"]Asteroid passes just 8,700 miles from Earth - with only 15 hours warning![/URL]

It was just a small one which would have burned up in the atmosphere, but still not enough time to tie Bruce Willis to a rocket and save us. :D

Comments

  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    This is bigger news than that kid who flew around in a balloon, except he didn't really fly around in a balloon, but everyone thought he flew around in a balloon!
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    I thought that the 15 hours between detection and the moment of possible impact was the important part if the asteroid was headed directly for Earth. That doesn't really give us much time to act, other than to move our asses. :D

    Of course being that it is a non-event, it's quite inconsequential, just like most of the news, really.
  • sinclairsinclair Ranger
    It's the 2012 we should concentrate our fears now, not some tiny asteroid... And we have years left!
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    We're all going to die!

    Just not today.

    Probably.
  • PSI-KILLERPSI-KILLER Needs help
    good work guys, money well spent
  • FreejackFreejack Jake the Not-so-Wise
    Um, maybe we we're not actively not looking for NEOs that are small enough to burn up in the atmosphere...since well, they burn up in the atmosphere.

    Jake
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    Won't somebody think of the atmospheric particles?!
  • PSI-KILLERPSI-KILLER Needs help
    The density of the object could have been of a dwarf star or something, who cares how big it is.
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Well, considering that Barringer Crater was created by: [QUOTE=wikipedia]The object that excavated the crater was a nickel-iron meteorite about 50 meters (54 yards) across, which impacted the plain at a speed of several kilometers per second.[/QUOTE]

    I tend to think it IS a big deal...
  • CurZCurZ Resident Hippy
    Was it 50 meters across before or after "about half of the impactor's 300,000 tonnes (330,000 short tons) bulk was vaporized during its descent, before it hit the ground."?
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    They did call it an [I]asteroid[/I], not a comet, meteorite or snowball. With all the implications that entails.

    The [URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barringer_Crater"]Barringer crater[/URL] was made by a [I]meteorite[/I] which was a mere "dust particle" compared to the size of our planet.
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    If it had entered the atmosphere and reached the ground, it would have become a meteorite. The same goes for a comet or meteor. If it reaches the ground, it's a meteorite. I'm not sure what size this definition stops at, but I suspect that if a small moon crashes into the Earth, there won't be anyone around to debate if it's a meteorite or not. :p

    As for asteroids 7m: one that size strikes the Earth every 5 years or so. It's the ones getting double that size or bigger that we really need to worry about.
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    Made you post. :D

    Definition meteorite: [I]a meteor that reaches the surface of the earth without being completely vaporized.[/I]

    An asteroid usually becomes a meteor during its passage through the atmosphere by decreasing in size. If it's big enough it will hit the surface as a meteorite.

    Size matters... and velocity too.

    Still, look at the gulf of Mexico, I wonder how big that [I]thing[/I] was when it hit....

    BTW, what's your stance on [URL="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/11/the-case-for-pluto-excerpt/"]Pluto?[/URL] :D
  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    That while the vote was poorly organised, that doesn't necessarily mean the outcome was wrong. :p
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    Yeah it was...

    :)
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    Awww.... :D

    [IMG]http://mathiaspedersen.com/3dportfolio/poor_pluto.jpg[/IMG]
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    And I vote for renaming UrAnus. :D
  • JackNJackN <font color=#99FF99>Lightwave Alien</font>
    to say... UrAnAss?
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    How about IKnowWhatURbutWhatAmI? :D

    LOL

    Just because Uranus is the name of a Greek deity (god of the sky) doesn't make it sound any better.

    Mythological names are fine, but somehow it's still an unfortunate choice in this particular case.
  • MessiahMessiah Failed Experiment
    Well, its your choice, either Uranus or Urectum.
  • sinclairsinclair Ranger
    The Finns vote for Perseus!

    [SIZE="1"][I](perse=ass)[/I][/SIZE]
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    LOL
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