Posted on 12/09/2005 9:07:47 AM PST by emiller
LONDON — Scientists are monitoring the progress of a 390m-wide asteroid discovered last year that is potentially on a collision course with the planet, and are imploring governments to decide on a strategy for dealing with it.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has estimated that an impact from Apophis, which has an outside chance of hitting the Earth in 2036, would release more than 100,000 times the energy released in the nuclear blast over Hiroshima.
Thousands of square kilometres would be directly affected by the blast but the whole of the Earth would see the effects of the dust released into the atmosphere. In Egyptian myth, Apophis was the ancient spirit of evil and destruction, a demon that was determined to plunge the world into eternal darkness.
The experts fear that there is very little time left to decide.
(Excerpt) Read more at todayonline.com ...
No warranty eh? How about some Asteroid Insurance
so yeh...bases are covered, let's just hope the asteroid comes across my space and hope that my butterfly can live another 30 odd years
Well Duuuh! How do you turn that "Funnel tornadoee type cyclone hurricane thing" off?
oh yeh~
I want to spend my last dime the day before this thing hits.
Actually a month before this thing hits I think I want to borrow a WHOLE bunch of money.
"Ignorant personal attacks aside." You mean like the one about being a cockeyed optimist?
Things hit us? Agreed.
They always have and always will? Agreed
They haven't killed us yet? Agreed
But that's where we diverge.
Since you took issue with my cavalier tone toward the article, I'm guessing you agree that the known prospect of a "near" miss at some point in the future is somehow cause for alarm (aka "funding").
I disagree strongly. If you think otherwise, no problem. Donate.
Yeah. It's just like being in a meeting at work. (Only shorter)...
Ice cream Sundae lands on Tuesday.
300m = 990 feet.
Asteroid studies are conducted robotically. There is not much in the way of human space travel, and due to the expense of same, won't be for a while. NASA's new GWB-inspired focus on a return to the Moon and missions to Mars are encouraging. My view is, a permanent human presence on the Moon would be the best politically possible outcome -- plan for Mars, and settle for the Moon.
Anyway, in the meanwhile, the only things to be done in space are those done with robots, and in that category I include the Hubble Space Telescope, the Mars probes, the upcoming planned probe to Pluto, and of course the various missions to various comets and asteroids.
Anything big enough to end civilization with an impact on the Earth remains unknown. And that's probably how it would be -- unknown until its far too late to do anything about it.
BTW:
It's called Apophis. It's 390m wide. And it could hit Earth in 31 years time [Asteroid]
The Guardian (UK) | December 7, 2005 | by Alok Jha
Posted on 12/06/2005 6:59:40 PM PST by aculeus
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1535383/posts
Astronauts push for strategies, spacecraft to prevent cosmic collision
Flagstaff Arizona Sun | 11/06/2005 | Marcia Dunn
Posted on 11/06/2005 5:53:40 PM PST by Graybeard58
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1517000/posts
Scientist: Asteroid May Hit Earth in 2029
Yahoo/AP | 12/23/04 | JOHN ANTCZAK
Posted on 12/23/2004 8:24:16 PM PST by hole_n_one
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1307719/posts
Don't forget the duct tape, can survive without it.
Well hell, where the hell is Mr Spock? Don't tell me he couldn't pin this thing down to within 6 inches in about 15 seconds.
Thank you for the link, interesting.
I understood!
the classics never wear out...
Huge asteroid to fly past Earth (Toutatis hoax - how and why)
space.com | 04/09/29
Posted on 09/29/2004 5:00:09 AM PDT by Truth666
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1230167/posts
The comet hit Jupiter.The world saw the comet hit Jupiter.
Many researchers have presented irrefutable evidence of major impacts on earth.
The astronomers have a real problem to sink their teeth in. They need the rocket guys to help. It is a great alliance.
It really would be impossible to keep something like an asteroid on a collision course "secret." To many people have telescopes for it to be other wise, and the government can't blot out the sky. :O)
The real question is:
When can I max out my Visa card and not worry about repayments?
I have the need for a big screen TV for watching astroid strikes. . .
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