Asteroid passes just 8,700miles from Earth - with only 15 hours warning

dailymail.co.uk ^ | Nov. 10, 2009 | Claire Bates

[Free ThinkerNY]

Although no one noticed at the time, the Earth was almost hit by an asteroid last Friday.

The previously undiscovered asteroid came within 8,700miles of Earth but astronomers noticed it only 15 hours before it made its closest approach.

To put it in perspective the Moon is a distance of 250,000miles, which is nearly 30 times further away from our planet. But before you head for the nuclear bunkers you will be relieved to learn the tumbling rock was only 23ft across. Similar sized objects pass by this close to Earth about twice a year and impact on the planet about once every five years.

Astronomers believe the object, called 2009 VA, would have almost completely burned up while entering Earth's atmosphere, causing a brilliant fireball in the sky but no major damage to the surface.

[Perdogg]

0bama’s fault!!

[a fool in paradise]

Will fewer SUVs decrease the number of astroids hitting the Earth?

[Darksheare]

A six meter wide asteroid that passed well within the Clarke belt of geosynch sats.

[NorwegianViking]

Remember that in August of this year a ruling came down that all incoming space rocks are considered as “Classified Information”.

[IrishPennant]

Did he just call us an Ass-droid???

[clamper1797]

How big does an asteroid ... yes I know there are rocky (solid) ones and not so solid ones ... but how large does an asteroid have to be in order not to burn up in the atmosphere and therefore cause some significant damage ?

[RebelTXRose]

That was the one I prayed for to hit Congress on Saturday!
It was CLOSE, but no cigar!

[Secret Agent Man]

“I don’t know but my snorkel hose is plugged again.”

[thefactor]

we're doooooomed!!!

or

nuke it from orbit. it's the only way to be sure.

[Perdogg]

It probably has to do with how much enthropy it can absorb.

[OrioleFan]

Obama was out playing golf and thus missed the event.

[a fool in paradise]

That was the one I prayed for to hit Congress on Saturday!

Louis Farrakhan almost crashed the Mother Ship...

[a fool in paradise]

Obama was out playing golf and thus missed the event.

If an event occurs and Obama misses it, did it really happen?

[Frantzie]

Obama saved us!

[autumnraine]

An asteroid or meteor (don’t know which) hit in the Atlanta area a few years back. It was the size of a lunchbox, and sounded like someone put off a bomb on the other side of the street. It hit 65 miles away. I can only imagine one 23ft across!

[MediaMole]

That isn’t accurate. The government took away scientific access to the nuclear warning satellites that also tracked meteor and asteroid impacts in the atmosphere.

It’s more likely that it was done because the satellite net is becoming older and scientific access may point out significant shortcomings in our ability to spot things.

[rahbert]

Probably on the order of meters, depending on material.

[Publius6961]

To put it in perspective the Moon is a distance of 250,000miles, which is nearly 30 times further away from our planet.

I can't believe the idiots who write this stuff.

A much better and undestandable comparison would be geosynchronous satellites, satellite TV, which are three times as far...

[Publius6961]

but how large does an asteroid have to be in order not to burn up in the atmosphere and therefore cause some significant damage ?

It's not the size that determines that, so much as the angle of entry.