Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Big Asteroid 2011 AG5 Could Pose Threat to Earth in 2040
space.com ^ | 27Feb2012 | Leonard David

Posted on 02/29/2012 1:42:15 AM PST by Las Vegas Dave

Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that may pose an impact threat to Earth in a few decades.

The space rock, which is called 2011 AG5, is about 460 feet (140 meters) wide. It may come close enough to Earth in 2040 that some researchers are calling for a discussion about how to deflect it.

Talk about the asteroid was on the agenda during the 49th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held earlier this month in Vienna.

A UN Action Team on near-Earth objects (NEOs) noted the asteroid’s repeat approaches to Earth and the possibility — however remote — that 2011 AG5 might smack into our planet 28 years from now.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Miscellaneous; Science
KEYWORDS: 2011ag5; asteroid; catastrophism
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last
The 460 feet (140 meter) wide space rock may pose a hazard in 2040, so researchers are calling for deflection plan discussions. Asteroid 2011 AG5 was discovered in January 2011 by Mount Lemmon Survey astronomers in Tucson, Ariz. Although it is currently considered "high risk," we've only been watching it for half an orbit, so more observations are needed.

Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that may pose an impact threat to Earth in a few decades.

The space rock, which is called 2011 AG5, is about 460 feet (140 meters) wide. It may come close enough to Earth in 2040 that some researchers are calling for a discussion about how to deflect it.

Talk about the asteroid was on the agenda during the 49th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held earlier this month in Vienna.

1 posted on 02/29/2012 1:42:22 AM PST by Las Vegas Dave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Pinging.


2 posted on 02/29/2012 1:42:59 AM PST by Las Vegas Dave ("All 57 or is it 58 states must stand together and defeat O-bozo. VOTE HIM OUT!!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ALASKA; ActionNewsBill; A knight without armor; albertp; aragorn; areafiftyone; aruanan; ...

FYI pings.


3 posted on 02/29/2012 1:43:58 AM PST by Las Vegas Dave ("All 57 or is it 58 states must stand together and defeat O-bozo. VOTE HIM OUT!!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

There has been several predictions in the past it always been false because of calculation errors.


4 posted on 02/29/2012 1:44:34 AM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

If it slams into the mecca I’m gonna be okay with it.

A rock rocks the rock....


5 posted on 02/29/2012 1:44:38 AM PST by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv; All

More here: http://news.discovery.com/space/asteroid-impact-hazard-2040-120228.html

< Snip >

The 460 feet (140 meter) wide space rock may pose a hazard in 2040, so researchers are calling for deflection plan discussions.

Asteroid 2011 AG5 was discovered in January 2011 by Mount Lemmon Survey astronomers in Tucson, Ariz.

Although it is currently considered “high risk,” we’ve only been watching it for half an orbit, so more observations are needed.

Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that may pose an impact threat to Earth in a few decades.

The space rock, which is called 2011 AG5, is about 460 feet (140 meters) wide. It may come close enough to Earth in 2040 that some researchers are calling for a discussion about how to deflect it.

Talk about the asteroid was on the agenda during the 49th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held earlier this month in Vienna.

< /snip >


6 posted on 02/29/2012 1:49:30 AM PST by Las Vegas Dave ("All 57 or is it 58 states must stand together and defeat O-bozo. VOTE HIM OUT!!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

What, me worry?
I will be 96 then, but I suspect there will be plenty of technology by then to deflect or knock it out.


7 posted on 02/29/2012 1:50:38 AM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

There has only been one successful forecast of an impact. when the asteroid 2008 TC3 was discovered. It was calculated that it would hit the Earth only 21 hours later. Luckily it had a diameter of only three metres and did not cause any damage.


8 posted on 02/29/2012 1:51:48 AM PST by U-238
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

Got to get the BIG ASSroid out of the White Hut first..


9 posted on 02/29/2012 2:03:35 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hosepipe

And I’m not talkin about the Wookie either..


10 posted on 02/29/2012 2:04:52 AM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

Over 4 football fields across is sizeable but not an extinction event. Depending on the actual mass and impact speed, it would probably be between the equivilent of about a 40 and a 100 megaton explosion. The biggest nuke ever set off was 100 megatons, by the USSR. Those crazy Russians wiped out a good portion of Siberia just to see how big they could make one.


11 posted on 02/29/2012 2:12:02 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder (The right thing is not always the popular thing)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Telepathic Intruder

Tzar Bomba was 50 MT. It was scalable to 100 but they never tested it.


12 posted on 02/29/2012 3:28:28 AM PST by Norm Lenhart (Normie: Wandering Druid, Cult of Palin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

I’ll be dead and gone. Maybe that’s a good time for a reboot of everything. ;-)


13 posted on 02/29/2012 3:47:05 AM PST by Natufian (t)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Natufian

This country will be dead and gone...this story has no relevance.


14 posted on 02/29/2012 3:53:42 AM PST by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: AlexW
I will be 96 then, but I suspect there will be plenty of technology by then to deflect or knock it out.

Not with Nasa shut down. I do expect there will be an effort to "tax" it somehow...

15 posted on 02/29/2012 3:56:03 AM PST by Caipirabob (I say we take off and Newt the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Caipirabob

“Not with Nasa shut down. I do expect there will be an effort to “tax” it somehow.”
__________________________________________

Not to worry,
China will take care of it, if the world has not self destructed by then.


16 posted on 02/29/2012 4:12:59 AM PST by AlexW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave; gleeaikin; 75thOVI; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AndrewC; aragorn; ...

Thanks Las Vegas Dave.



17 posted on 02/29/2012 4:23:48 AM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/images/meteorcrater.html

[snip] The Meteor Crater in the state of Arizona was the first crater to be identified as an impact crater. Between 20,000 to 50,000 years ago, a small asteroid about 80 feet in diameter impacted the Earth and formed the crater. The crater is the best preserved crater on Earth and measures 1.2 km in diameter. [/snip]


18 posted on 02/29/2012 4:28:48 AM PST by SunkenCiv (FReep this FReepathon!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Las Vegas Dave

“AG5, is about 460 feet (140 meters) wide.”

Pfft...that’s just a side show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlF8APEkh-E


19 posted on 02/29/2012 4:29:30 AM PST by Rebelbase
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv; Las Vegas Dave

At 140 meters, I’m not sure it would be worthy of an expensive effort in an attempt to move Heaven(quite literally) and Earth to avoid an impact from this thing. Not that I would want it landing in my neighborhood or anything, but chances are it will likely impact an unpopulated area(probably an ocean).

Then again, this might be good for a ‘practice run’, so we’ll know more for when a big one comes around.


20 posted on 02/29/2012 5:03:48 AM PST by KoRn (Department of Homeland Security, Certified - "Right Wing Extremist")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-31 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson