Posted on 03/12/2021 5:13:13 PM PST by BenLurkin
2001 FO32 won't come any closer than 1.25 million miles
There is no present threat of a collision with Earth, nor will there be for centuries to come.
That said, 2001 FO32's path will present astronomers with a rare opportunity to closely observe the planetoid because 1.25 million miles is still relatively close in astronomical terms.
NASA explained that this technicality is the reason why the asteroid has been designated "potentially hazardous" and the agency assured that NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) works to "help precisely characterize every NEO’s orbit to improve long-term hazard assessments."
In addition, the asteroid's speedy approach is due to its steeply inclined and elongated orbit around the sun.
After its March 21 fly-by, 2001 FO32 won't come close to the Earth again until 2052. The asteroid will be visible with a moderate-sized telescope with apertures of at least 8 inches in the nights leading up to the closest approach.
The last notably large asteroid close to the Earth was 1998 OR2 in April of last year.
More than 95% of near-Earth asteroids the size of 2001 FO32 have been discovered and tracked and none of the large asteroids has any chance of impacting Earth over the next century, according to the agency.
2020 saw a record number of asteroids fly past the Earth...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
If planet Mercury could speak it might say;
“Hey, Earth, like maybe watch your Asteroids!
I’m just a little Rock here. I’m already burning up being the Sun’s next door neighbor! Do you think it’s comfortable?”
The day before William Shatner’s birthday.
Joseph Stolen: “Trump’s fault!”
Frankie McDonald warned us about this last month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgvkAHBw1Aw&ab_channel=FrankieMacDonald
Maybe God has decided he’s seen enough. It would be preferable to what’s coming down the pike from the left.
So, no chance of it hitting Washington, District of Criminals? Damn.
Saw a good one two nights ago. Was low and lasted about 20 seconds.
Less than a kilometer? A little less than extremely interesting then. ;)
The ASSteroid is in the district of corruption.
Gives new meaning to the old saying “A miss is good as a 1.25 million mile”.
77,000 mph is really fast closing.
At that speed just a 244 foot rock sphere of 100 pcf density would yield 50 megaton tnt yield of energy on impact
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