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Asteroid Fly-By on August 18

Posted by michael on from the don't-drink-the-koolaid dept.

ke4roh writes "An asteroid will fly near the planet and be visible with binoculars from the northern hemisphere August 18, so says this article. Astronomers say it will cross the sky at 8 degrees per hour and fade out of view as it approaches the sun and hence goes through its various phases - full, gibbous, half... down to nothing. Such a show only comes about twice a century, so take a look before it disappears!" Another reader sends in a few useful links: "Here's the complete article from the folks at NASA Space Science with extra links including details on the astreroid's trajectory."

10 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. And .. by JPriest · · Score: 3, Funny

    .. I am sure NASA has an oil drilling team on stand by as we read this.

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  2. For everything else.... by cdf12345 · · Score: 5, Funny

    pair of decent binoculars: $60
    tank of gas to drive to dark location: $20
    Lawn blankets: $15

    The expression on your face as you realise some NASA mathmatican forgot to carry a one......priceless

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    1. Re:For everything else.... by Spackler · · Score: 3, Funny

      A huge black cloth to put over the three quarter moon that night?

      Come on NASA. If you can't schedule stuff like this at the new moon, don't schedule them at all.

  3. Astronomers at play by tuxedo-steve · · Score: 3, Funny
    From the spacedaily.com article:
    Such data result in impressive 3D maps of asteroids, which have often surprised astronomers with their weird shapes. Some prove to be binary systems (one space rock orbiting another) and one even looks like a dog bone.
    Why is it that I'm picturing a couple of ageing hippy astronomers, passing around a joint and checking out the skies?

    ``Whoa, dude, that's rock's shaped really weird...''
    ``Yeah... looks like a dog bone or somethin'...''
    *toke* *toke*
    ``Heh heh... check out Uranus...''

    No, probably not. :)
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  4. To help them out a little... by HiQ · · Score: 3, Funny
    We don't know yet what this asteroid is made of," he continued, "but we'll have a much better idea by the end of August."

    We can be quite sure that is *not* made out of:
    • Gouda cheese
    • recycled AOL CD's
    • Rubber
    • Cookie dough
    • ....
    Maybe that'll help them to narrow the options down :-)

    1. Re:To help them out a little... by hagar� · · Score: 2, Funny

      from the Galactic Weekly: "The Great Celestial Empire put down a revolt of primitive Earth creatures this week, by firing rubber asteroids into the crowd."

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  5. Instructions... by G-funk · · Score: 3, Funny

    1. Wait for another asteroid story on /. (approx 5 minutes).

    2. Post bruce willis / liv tyler joke (approx 21 seconds).

    3. Sit back and watch the karma roll in (unknown).

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  6. Burn Karma Burn! by geekindustries · · Score: 2, Funny

    NASA's plan:
    1. Report doomsday asteroid heading for earth
    2. ???
    3. Profit!

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  7. Re:Sounds like fun! by yatest5 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Don't worry, in case of any problem, Bruce Willis is still there .. :)

    Bruce isn't that desperate, is he?

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  8. Specificity by PhxBlue · · Score: 3, Funny

    Which planet?

    What planet do you live on?

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