ASTEROIDS AND SECRECY: IF END IS NIGH, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?

space.com ^ | 02/24/03 | Roy Britt

[Dog Gone]

Hmmm, that's one I haven't read. Thanks for the recommendation.

[RightWhale]

Aside from the fact that the government can't do anything about an incoming asteroid, --nothing at all,-- the question becomes: why bother to tell the government?

The word will get out immediately. The government will find out like the rest of us.

[Dog Gone]

What do you mean? The government, or at least the UN, could surely pass a resolution stating that the asteroid is in material breach of orbital protocols, and threaten serious consequences.

[Jhoffa_]

With all the amateur astronomers out there, I frankly don't think it's possible to keep it a secret.

[Jhoffa_]

PS: I think it's amazing and an incredible act of self flattery that people think the US Government COULD keep something like this a secret..

Come on, there are thousands of people with their own radio telescopes. There are people with conventional scopes and we aren't the only country on the planet that has them.

There's positively No Way to keep a lid on something like this.

[jwalsh07]

RadioAstonomer would have the scoop right here on FR.

[No One of Consequence]

NASA has a web site that monitors the asteriods that
pose an impact threat:

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/

The current object of interest is called 2003 CR20. They compute a small probability of impact in 2031. In 2046 the chance of an impact is about one in 300000.

2003 CR20 is currently considered a Torino 1 risk. Which means the NEO community thinks we need to keep a close watch on the object.

[Jhoffa_]

Hypothetically speaking, would there be any way to keep something like this under wraps on a global scale?

[Jhoffa_]

RadioAstonomer would have the scoop right here on FR.

Oh wow.. You read my mind.

I was just thinking of him.

[PogySailor]

France would veto and press for more time.

[Jhoffa_]

France would veto and press for more time.

Mugabe would tell it to disarm, the Libertarians would try to debate with it and Jessie Jackson would swear it was all a white mans plot..

CNN would report: "World to be crushed by massive asteroid, women & minorities expected to be hardest hit"

North Korea would scream at it and Japan would talk about how it could be improved.

[Godebert]

Asteroid impact bump!

[Dog Gone]

I haven't tried writing a science fiction novel yet, but my first one will definitely involve the deliberate manipulation of an asteroid into a rendezvous with Paris.

[PogySailor]

Hillary!: "What did Bush know, and when did he know it?"

KKK Byrd:" Fie on asteroids! Pretty, pretty pretty..."

Calypso Louie: " Blame it on BBUUUSSHH!! It's a Zionist plot!"

Hey, this is fun!!!

[Bat_Chemist]

I would want to know. With just enough lead-time (one day would do) to go arm myself to the teeth, buy all the steak I could find, go melt my visa on a super-duper-barbeque grill (purchase it, then cook the card!), and enjoy some nice family time.

If I don't get the lead-time...hmm, I dunno. Two days prior knowledge would be optimal, I suppose. I sure wouldn't want to be at work and hear, "You've got one hour left!"

[Joe Hadenuf]

Actually, I think it would be neat to have an asteroid, say twice the size of Chicago come within 1000 miles of earth.

It may put everything in prospective or give pause to those here on earth that are hell bent on killing each other off.

Then again, who knows, maybe it would start a war.

[Jhoffa_]

Al Gore would try to get it to contribute to his campaign.

The ACLU would sue to stop it because it was being unfair to minorities.

Sarah Brady would be happy, because at least there would be no more guns.

NORML would wax about all the pot they could grow there, provided the world were just and you were allow to do that sort of thing.

[Jhoffa_]

The Republicans would instantly declare it to be a "free Trade" zone..

[Jhoffa_]

And CMSGOP would want to put pronography on it..

[IncPen]

France would veto and press for more time.

Mugabe would tell it to disarm, the Libertarians would try to debate with it and Jessie Jackson would swear it was all a white mans plot..

CNN would report: "World to be crushed by massive asteroid, women & minorities expected to be hardest hit"

North Korea would scream at it and Japan would talk about how it could be improved.

And that night... "Tonight on Nightline: 'The Killer Asteroid: How Could We All Get It So Wrong?'"