Dodging a Bullet (Aimed at the Planet (Earth))

[Dandan]

Huge Asteroid to Creep Near Earth on Nov. 8​

Mark Nov. 8 on your calendar. A huge asteroid that could potentially threaten Earth in the far future will pass close by as astronomers around the world watch and measure.

This space rock is asteroid 2005 YU55, a veritable mini-world roughly 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide — nearly four football fields across — that will zoom by Earth inside the orbit of the moon.

At its closest approach, the asteroid will pass within 201,700 miles (325,000 kilometers) of Earth at 6:28 p.m. EDT (2228 GMT) on Nov. 8. The average distance between Earth and the moon is 240,000 miles (386,242 km).

http://www.space.com/13418-asteroid-2005-yu55-earth-flyby-november-8.html

I hate this shit because its so damn close and we probably have no way of stopping something if it were to come at us directly but this really a close call

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

Looks like science is trying to distract us, the bro gaming congregation, from the release of Modern Warfare 3 again. NOT going to happen.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I hate this shit because its so damn close and we probably have no way of stopping something if it were to come at us directly but this really a close call

Lots of nukes?

 

[Vegeta897]

This is a close call for Planet (Earth). As a resident of Planet (Earth), I am relieved to find out that our planet, Planet (Earth) remains safe.

 

[mechanicallizard]

I HAVENT PLAYED BF3 YET IT BETTER F*CKING WAIT

 

[morgs]

If I was going to die, It might as well be by something as awesome as a meteor.

 

[Dandan]

We all should die doing what we love most. And if everyone is going to die all at once, you might as well let loose now and get on with your bad self

 

[Mogi67]

I'll be tripping acid that day

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I remember when I thought an asteroid was going to hit in 1998. I was just happy I got to experience middle school by then.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Will it be visible in the sky?

 

[Escaep]

SAVE US BRUCE

 

[sixteenth]

SAVE US BRUCE[/QUOTE]
I support the same mission plan as derived in Armageddon.

[IMG]http://image.toutlecine.com/photos/a/r/m/armageddon-1998-36-g.jpg

But he controls the nuke.

 

[morgs]

If I died doing what I loved most, I probably wouldn't love it anymore. At least, not in the last moments.

 

[Adrik_Senturu]

The picture in that article is kind of misleading. I remember reading about this a while ago and they had a second picture that also showed that the thing is also a pretty significant distance above earth, it's not going to pass directly between the orbit of earth and the moon. So not as scary once you know that.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

We'd get ****ed good if it actually hit the moon and sent it careening away from orbit. Our tides would be all "whoa."

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

ain't no above in space

 

[Mogi67]

If I died doing what I loved most, I probably wouldn't love it anymore. At least, not in the last moments.

If you'd accept death as you accept life, your pain would seem as wondrous as your joy

 

[morgs]

Yeah that's true. I wouldn't be bothered tbh.

 

[Krynn72]

Is it going to cause a Tsunami?

Also, someone explain this, since I'm too lazy to open the source link.

Mark Nov. 8 on your calendar. A huge asteroid that could potentially threaten Earth in the far future

How can something that passes by us on Nov. 8 potentially threaten us in the far future? Is it in an orbit?

 

[Mogi67]

Every asteroid in the solar system is in an orbit.

 

[Vegeta897]

Doesn't mean they're in our orbit, though. Which it would have to be for it to come close again in the future, right?

 

[KiplingsCat]

Asteroids don't just mozy around through the universe like happy little bumblebees. Like most things in space, they're bound by gravity to bigger things (in this case the sun). This asteroid's orbit is elliptical, meaning that it goes round and round rather than just coming in once and shooting off again (that would be a hyperbola). Unless it crashes into something else, it's coming back someday.

I wouldn't worry too much though. Space is kinda big.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Everyone fire wildly into the sky at the same time, someone will hit it. Make sure you wait outside to observe the results.

 

[Dandan]

http://www.space.com/13505-closest-asteroid-fly-bombarded-radio-waves.html

just a small update, interesting video and honestly this would be the best time to track this asteroid, we should be sending a probe or satellite and fix itself on this large rock

 

[ríomhaire]

Doesn't mean they're in our orbit, though. Which it would have to be for it to come close again in the future, right?

If our orbits can cross once they can cross again. Also, most objects in the solar system orbit on roughly the same plane so it's pretty much a 2D system so all an asteroid needs to do to potentially threaten us is for the two orbits to cross each other and obviously they do or we wouldn't be having this discussion in the first place.

 

[Mogi67]

Hopefully next time it comes around and destroys all life one earth. that'd be cool, heh heheh hehh

 

[mechanicallizard]

todays the day.

BRACE FOR IMPACT

 

[Stigmata]

I read on this one site that the actual approach distance is less like 200,000 miles and more like 3,800. But it was pure astronomical data which I can't understand, and I could see it being free from the effects of sobriety.