Amishway Homesteaders Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — An asteroid bigger than an aircraft carrier will dart between the Earth and moon on Tuesday — the closest encounter by such a huge rock in 35 years. But scientists say not to worry. It won’t hit. “We’re extremely confident, 100 percent confident, that this is not a threat,” said the manager of NASA’s Near Earth Object Program, Don Yeomans. “But it is an opportunity.” The asteroid named 2005 YU55 is being watched by ground antennas as it approaches from the direction of the sun. The last time it came within so-called shouting distance was 200 years ago. Closest approach will occur at 5:28 p.m. Chicago time Tuesday when the asteroid passes within 202,000 miles of Earth. That’s closer than the roughly 240,000 miles between the Earth and the moon. The moon will be just under 150,000 miles from the asteroid at the time of closest approach. Both the Earth and moon are safe — “this time,” said Jay Melosh, professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University. If 2005 YU55 were to plow into the home planet, it would blast out a crater four miles across and 1,700 feet deep, according to Melosh’s calculations. Think a magnitude-7 earthquake and 70-foot-high tsunami waves. Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 So, I guess we will being missing out on all the fun seeing they say it will NOT hit the Earth. This would have been a good test for all of us that are ready for things like this to happen? Oh well, maybe next time. Link to comment
Jeepers Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I don't need a near miss from and asteroid to tell me if I'm ready or not. I AIN'T! My biggest problem today is trying to stop eating this trick or treat candy. I knew I shouldn't have bought 3 packages. I think I'm going to have to hide it from myself. But, but, but it was on sale. Link to comment
Annarchy Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I had forgotten about that. Saw an article about it coming some months back. Too bad it will still be daylight here when it passes by. Thanks for the reminder. Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 I had forgotten about that. Saw an article about it coming some months back. Too bad it will still be daylight here when it passes by. Thanks for the reminder. Yea would have been COOL if it came over at nightitme so we could see it! I mean it has traveled MILLIONS of miles to get here WHY can't it wait just 3 more hours? Link to comment
Annarchy Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 I thought I saw a theory or something, about how the asteroids also mess with the earth, causing earthquakes? (Yanno... Oklahoma... etc.) (Where's my tinfoil hat? ) Maybe Europe will get a good view. Link to comment
sassenach Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 It must have blown by us. I didn't know the time (was about 630 pm.)... didn't feel nuffin' tho...... phew Annarchy! LOL. Sort of cloudy outside so I don't know if I could have seen it had I known the time beforehand. earlier today I was able to sit outside and get my first sock knitting lesson and while I was working on that, I sat out there, it was pretty nice , and the thin clouds, only a bit puffy , were still generating lightening and bitty thunder. They didn't look powerful enough but there was nothing else that could make that thunder sound around.... was rather cool listening to that. Link to comment
themartianchick Posted November 9, 2011 Share Posted November 9, 2011 We watched it with hubby's telescope. It really wasn't that exciting, though. Jupiter was also visible near the moon and it was so bright that I originally assumed that it was Venus until we centered the scope on it. Then we realized that it couldn't possibly by Venus! Hubby stayed out watching for about an hour and a half. I kinda went back and forth. Most of the time, we can't see anything really exciting because cities are never really dark and all of that light makes it hard to see the sky very well. Link to comment
sassenach Posted November 10, 2011 Share Posted November 10, 2011 this was filmed by someone in Massachusetts. http://www.wptz.com/news/29721902/detail.html Film of asteroid, its actually pretty big compared to the stars . I was surprised. good film done. Link to comment
Jeepers Posted November 11, 2011 Share Posted November 11, 2011 That's pretty neat! Thanks for the link. Link to comment
Amishway Homesteaders Posted November 11, 2011 Author Share Posted November 11, 2011 well that was fun................................. what's next? Link to comment
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