Posted on 08/18/2020 9:13:46 PM PDT by BenLurkin
On Sunday (Aug. 16), the asteroid, initially labeled ZTF0DxQ and now formally known to astronomers as 2020 QG, swooped by Earth at a mere 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) away.
The flyby wasn't expected and took many by surprise. In fact, the Palomar Observatory didn't detect the zooming asteroid until about six hours after the object's closest approach. "The asteroid approached undetected from the direction of the sun," Paul Chodas, the director of NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, told Business Insider.
The close flyby was also a fast one, as 2020 QG swooped near Earth at a blistering 27,600 mph (44,400 kph). The object is about the size of a compact car, perhaps about 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) in diameter.
According to the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center, 2020 QG flew over the Pacific Ocean, far east of Australia, during its close approach. To explore the daredevil asteroid for yourself, you can check out NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's small-body database browser here.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
Thank you, so much.
In the summer of 1969 my Dad bought a 1969 Ford Country Squire Station Wagon.
What a beautiful and powerful car.
“It was a 67 Galaxy”
It also could have been any of
the following;
Chevrolet Nova
Saturn Sky
Ford Taurus
Chevrolet Vega
Toyota Camry Solara
Mercury Comet
Oldsmobile Starfire....
WhatsHisFace that launched his car out to space?
Within a hundred feet of where I live are 2 women, 1 named Chevy and the other is Nova (they are no relation to each other), no joke!!
How could they possibly know that?
Should have read:
made the closest recorded Earth flyby a space rock has ever survived
Regards,
Had a ‘75 SS 4-speed. Loved that car.
The Tesla Roadster is currently beyond the orbit of Mars and heading Sunward.
https://spacein3d.com/starman
LOL
Small remnants would likely burn up in the atmosphere.
The closest? Not by a long shot. The 1972 meteor fly by went through the atmosphere and back out into space. There’s even a film of it.
Thanks BenLurkin. The smaller ones are harder to spot in advance, good thing one this size would (probably) burn up if it plunged through Earth's atmosphere.
|
/bingo
Car fans may enjoy viewing pics of Michelle Knapp’s car, which was struck by the Peekskill Meteorite in 1992. Most of that will probably buff right out.
http://www.google.com/search?q=michelle+knapp%27s+car+hit+by+meteorite+1992&tbm=isch
Within a hundred feet of where I live are 2 women, 1 named Chevy and the other is Nova...
No time for Bruce Willis and crew to save us!
That speed works out to 40,480 FPS so you can get an idea how much damage that might do. A very high velocity rifle round might be on the order of 4000 FPS, plus it is a lot lighter than than the object in this article. So, if that asteroid had struck the earth, I think the damage would be horrific.
“Should we destroy meteors of this approximate size?”
We’ve been able to kill hurricanes for decades, and haven’t because of the legal implications.
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