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Asteroid 2011 AG5 Will Miss Earth In 2040

Posted by timothy on from the 2039-on-the-other-hand dept.

dryriver writes with a report from CNN that the asteroid known as 2011 AG5 will not hit Earth in 2040 as early calculations had led some to fear when it was first spotted last year. "To narrow down the asteroid's future course, NASA put out a call for more observation. Astronomers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa took up the task and managed to observe the asteroid over several days in October. 'An analysis of the new data conducted by NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, shows that the risk of collision in 2040 has been eliminated,' NASA declared Friday."

6 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Do we want to know? by icebike · · Score: 4, Informative

    It has a diameter of about 140 meters. Its not a planet killer.
    You watch too much TV. Nobody can keep a secret in this world. Not least of all, government officials.

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  2. Re:Do we want to know? by BobNET · · Score: 5, Funny

    Last post!

  3. Re:Do we want to know? by Trepidity · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Yeah, it'd have a large local/regional impact, but not planet-wide. Estimates of the impact seem to hover around 100-150 megatons of TNT equivalent, which is 2-3 Tsar Bombas.

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  4. For sale: End of the World 2040 Survival Kits . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 3, Funny

    . . . only slightly used in 2012 . . .

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    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  5. Re: Asteroid 2011 AG5 Will Miss Earth In 2040??? by icebike · · Score: 5, Interesting

    But maybe u think we could just hollywood like blow everything up and thats it?

    In fact this is a realistic option with an asteroid this small. Its only 140 meters, or a football field and a half in diameter.

    Shattering it into much smaller fragments is actually an option, as only some of those would still hit earth, and many of those would be small enough to burn up in the atmosphere. Most that don't burn up, would (statically at least) hit ocean.

    Most asteroids, from what we know, are loose accumulations of space debris without a solid core. It might shatter rather easily.

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    Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
  6. Damn! by Black+Parrot · · Score: 3, Funny

    So just how long do we have to wait for this "doomsday" thing?

    I'm going to have to spend Christmas catching up on two months' chores that I've been skipping.

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    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade