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Asteroid Due for Close Approach

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ka-FOOOM dept.

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."

10 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. lunar runin by escay · · Score: 4, Interesting

    so is there a chance that it will hit the moon?

    --
    My sig has been answered.
  2. We're fine... by smaerd · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... I mean, I can shoot those babies down no problem... unless one of those annoying UFOs shows up.. I can never shoot those fast enough. *duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh*

  3. We'll be fine. by ScentCone · · Score: 4, Funny

    The universe would not allow earth's civilization to end until after Pixar releases "Ratatooie." Otherwise, the cosmos will not yet have been properly balanced, in terms of Really Good Jokes About French Cooking(tm).

    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.

    --
    Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
  4. Already Passed. by sglider · · Score: 5, Informative

    This, as Adam Sandler would say, is news that would have been better if it had been brought to my attention yesterday!!!!!.

    The article from CNN talks about it already whizzing past.

    --
    War isn't about who's right. It's about who's left.
  5. Bit late .... by stuckinarut · · Score: 3, Informative

    The asteroid has already passed at 04:44 GMT across North America

  6. Scale map by linvir · · Score: 5, Informative

    I've tried to knock together a bit of a scale map to help visualise some of the proportions.

  7. News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... by Bob(TM) · · Score: 4, Funny

    News for Nerds. Stuff that Matters ... Yesterday.

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    The little guy just ain't getting it, is he?
  8. By Larry Niven by PIPBoy3000 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I almost rated this as "off topic" until I realized it was a reference to Footfall, by Larry Niven. It refers to showing submission so that agressive actions stop. Strangely put, but at least I understand the post now.

    1. Re:By Larry Niven by PriceIke · · Score: 3, 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.

      --
      It's not a lie. It's the truth with lossy compression.
  9. Map Of Close Nearby Asteroids by szyzyg · · Score: 5, Informative

    Back when I used to call myself an astronomer I coded up this map which shows the releative postitions of all asteroids in the vicinity of the earth. If you've ever played the classic video game 'Elite' then you won't have any trouble understanding the map.