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Asteroid set for close encounter
By Larry Hendrick | July 2, 2006
Talk about ironic. Last night the Redhead and I watched Deep Impact on television and today wake up to the news of a large asteroid coming this direction.
What I want to know is, how do they know that another asteroid won’t crash into this big one enough to change it’s trajectory? What would it take, .00001 degree to move it 100,000 miles by the time it gets here?
BBC NEWS| Asteroid set for close encounter
A large asteroid is set to pass Earth in a close encounter which scientists say will pose no danger.The asteroid, estimated at half a mile (800m) wide, will sweep within 270,000 miles (433,000km) of the planet - only slightly further away than the moon.
“It’s not Earth-threatening,” said Don Yeomans, who heads Nasa’s Near Earth Object Program.
The asteroid, 2004 XP14, should be visible by telescope from N America and Europe, most clearly on Monday.
Topics: Life |