NASA says mysterious object hurtling towards Earth could be an asteroid or a comet

www.mirror.co.uk ^ | Updated14:17, 4 JAN 2017 | ByLibby Plummer

[Red Badger]

The American space agency says that one object is a massive comet, but has so far been unable to identify the other

NASA recently spotted two massive space objects hurtling towards Earth.

While the American space agency has pinpointed one as a comet, the other has left it slightly more baffled.

The comet is set to fly close to Earth this week, but the mystery object isn't expected to make an appearance until February.

The object, dubbed "2016 WF9", was detected by NASA's asteroid- and comet-hunting NEOWISE project on 27 November 2016.

It is roughly 0.3 to 0.6 miles (0.5 to 1 kilometres) across and is in an orbit that takes it on a scenic tour of our solar system.

At its farthest distance from the sun, it approaches Jupiter's orbit.

Over the course of 4.9 Earth-years, it travels inward, passing under the main asteroid belt and the orbit of Mars until it swings just inside Earth's own orbit.

After that, it heads back toward the outer solar system.

However, NASA scientists are not sure whether it is a comet or an asteroid .

"2016 WF9 could have cometary origins," said Deputy Principal Investigator James "Gerbs" Bauer at NASA's JPL.

"This object illustrates that the boundary between asteroids and comets is a blurry one; perhaps over time this object has lost the majority of the volatiles that linger on or just under its surface."

While 2016 WF9 is dark like a comet, it appears to lack the characteristic dust and gas cloud that defines a comet.

On 25 February, 2017 WF9 will approach Earth's orbit at a distance of nearly 32 million miles (51 million kilometres) from our home planet.

NASA said that the object is "not a threat to Earth for the foreseeable future".

[Red Badger]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/when_worlds_collide/

[Renegade]

First born on Beta were puppies.

[AppyPappy]

It’s Coming!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zrn1pp0NgU

[Red Badger]

The Atlanteans returning......................

[lulu16]

Try this book: Lucifer’s Hammer

Great science fiction and still holds up. Story about an asteroid coming towards earth and the after effects. Great prepper story too. I’ve read it twice and am now listening it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SNp4Gi6nZA

[Red Badger]

A truly classic movie!......Way ahead of its time!....................

[Red Badger]

Read it when it first came out in 78-79 or so................

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Wide Field?

That was my guess.

[BlueLancer]

re: ROTTENTOMATOES.COM review ...

The books were far and away superior to the "movie".

[Red Badger]

Yes, Hollywood usually trashes the books...............

[who knows what evil?]

After Giant Meteor’s 2016 campaign fizzled; I’m not going to get wound up about other space visitors.

[Red Badger]

Seems that they don’t stand for anything in particular. Some sort of date code..................

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Lucifer’s Hammer

I love that one. I've read all of Niven's stuff and most of Pournelle's. Lucifer's Hammer and Footfall are in my top 5.

Of course, any of the Known Space stories/novels take the preceding 3 spots.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I saw the tail end of a TV series last night, “No Tomorrows.”

The premise is an asteroid is heading for a collision with Earth, and the people of Earth know it and are trying to enjoy what time they have left.

In reality, people would be running through the streets going bat crap crazy.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

If the object slows down as it approaches Earth, and thirty 20-mile wide spaceships separate from it and take positions over thirty of Earth’s major cities, we’re screwed.

At least that’s what happened in the 1996 movie “Independence Day.”

[Red Badger]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/knowing/

Similar theme.............

[PIF]

Worlds in Collision Paperback – October 1, 2009 by Immanuel Velikovsky

With this book Immanuel Velikovsky first presented the revolutionary results of his 10-year-long interdisciplinary research to the public, founded modern catastrophism - based on eyewitness reports by our ancestors - shook the doctrine of uniformity of geology as well as Darwin's theory of evolution, put our view of the history of our solar system, of the Earth and of humanity on a completely new basis - and caused an uproar that is still going on today. Worlds in Collision - written in a brilliant, easily understandable and entertaining style and full to the brim with precise information - can be considered one of the most important and most challenging books in the history of science. Not without reason was this book found open on Einstein's desk after his death. For all those who have ever wondered about the evolution of the earth, the history of mankind, traditions, religions, mythology or just the world as it is today, Worlds in Collision is an absolute MUST-READ!

[RoosterRedux]

NASA said that the object is "not a threat to Earth for the foreseeable future".

Either that or WE'RE DOOMED!

;-)

[SgtHooper]

It’s a bug crawling across the lens.

[JOAT]

No posts about 'Wormwood?'

Y'all are slipping.