Skip to comments.
Potentially hazardous asteroid spotted passing Earth with its own tiny moon
cnet ^
| 02/12/2020
| Eric Mack
Posted on 02/12/2020 7:24:19 PM PST by BenLurkin
Radar images from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico showed that asteroid 2020 BX12 is actually a binary system. In other words, the big space rock is carrying around a smaller asteroid 70 meters (230 feet) in diameter that orbits it like a tiny moon.
With a diameter of up to 450 meters (1,476 feet) according to NASA data, the larger of the two asteroids qualifies the system to fit the definition of a potentially hazardous asteroid, which is based solely on its size and vicinity to Earth. It does not, however, mean that 2020 BX12 actually presents a potential hazard to humans anytime soon. In fact, it already passed by us on Feb. 3 at a distance more than 11 times as far as the moon is from the Earth.
2020 BX12's orbit around the sun could one day bring it closer to Earth than the moon, but NASA data so far shows no chance of this occurring before the year 2200, and it doesn't appear that there would be any chance of impact.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnet.com ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: 2020bx12; astronomy; catastrophism; science
1
posted on
02/12/2020 7:24:19 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
To: BenLurkin
A hemorrhoid and a Klingon?
2
posted on
02/12/2020 7:27:07 PM PST
by
EvilCapitalist
(If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with. No more appeasement. -Ronald Reagan)
3
posted on
02/12/2020 7:27:26 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
To: SunkenCiv
4
posted on
02/12/2020 7:28:24 PM PST
by
fieldmarshaldj
(Dear Mr. Kotter, #Epsteindidntkillhimself - Signed, Epstein's Mother)
To: BenLurkin; SunkenCiv
No, no. A Kling-Almost-On.
5
posted on
02/12/2020 7:30:05 PM PST
by
Robert A Cook PE
(I can only donate monthly, but ABCNNBCBS donates every hour, every night, every day of the year.)
To: BenLurkin; SunkenCiv
6
posted on
02/12/2020 7:31:20 PM PST
by
Robert A Cook PE
(I can only donate monthly, but ABCNNBCBS donates every hour, every night, every day of the year.)
To: BenLurkin; SunkenCiv
At 450m wide, if the change of it hitting us is less than 1/100, it's a Zero
So, we live...and once again...
7
posted on
02/12/2020 7:31:52 PM PST
by
DoodleBob
(Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^2)
To: DoodleBob
It’s Bernie and little mike Bloomberg. ...lost in space.
8
posted on
02/12/2020 7:34:13 PM PST
by
redshawk
( I want my red balloon. ( https://youtu.be/V12H2mteniE))
To: BenLurkin; SunkenCiv
Butt, there is only one. Clearly, a simple Klingalone.
9
posted on
02/12/2020 7:34:30 PM PST
by
Robert A Cook PE
(I can only donate monthly, but ABCNNBCBS donates every hour, every night, every day of the year.)
To: redshawk
10
posted on
02/12/2020 7:35:01 PM PST
by
EvilCapitalist
(If it takes a bloodbath, let's get it over with. No more appeasement. -Ronald Reagan)
To: DoodleBob
Was “it doesn’t appear that there would be any chance of impact” too subtle for you?
11
posted on
02/12/2020 7:44:41 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
To: BenLurkin
12
posted on
02/12/2020 8:20:28 PM PST
by
mosesdapoet
(mosesdapoet aka L.J.Keslin posting here for the record hoping somebody might read and pass around)
To: BenLurkin
Shouldn’t this be titled: “Nevermind”!
To: BenLurkin
The sky is falling! Again! And again, and again, and again...
14
posted on
02/13/2020 5:20:56 AM PST
by
Right Wing Assault
(Kill-googl,TWTR,FCBK,NYT,WaPo,Hwd,CNN,NFL,BLM,CAIR,Antfa,SPLC,ESPN,NPR,NBA,ARP)
To: 75thOVI; Abathar; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AnalogReigns; AndrewC; aragorn; ...
Thanks BenLurkin, fieldmarshaldj, and Robert A Cook PE.
15
posted on
02/13/2020 6:24:10 AM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson