Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Missing Potential Earth-Busting Asteroid Found

Posted by Zonk on from the that's-a-froo dept.

Billosaur writes "A potentially disastrous 40-year-old mystery has been solved: Where is asteroid 6344 P-L? Back in 1960, asteroid 6344 P-L was identified and classified as a 'Potentially Hazardous Asteroid,' meaning that its orbit brings it perilously close to Earth's orbit (on the cosmic scale). Unfortunately, it then disappeared, or more precisely, was lost from view. Flash forward to 2007 and scientists believe that 6344 P-L has been rediscovered as 2007 RR9. Further, they are not sure it is an actual asteroid, but actually a comet fragment, which won't hit the Earth anytime soon but bears watching."

3 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. That Close! by treyTTU · · Score: 5, Funny

    Close in astronomic scale and we just "lost" it for a while, like, perhaps we took our eye off the ball?

  2. comet fragment by edxwelch · · Score: 5, Funny

    > Further, they are not sure it is an actual asteroid, but actually a comet fragment

    I don't know about you, but I would perfer to go extinict by asteroid rather than a puny comet fragement

  3. Re:I'm getting tired of this... by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can it wait just a little bit longer? I swear I'm just about to get mod points.

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned