Posted on 06/30/2010 11:36:48 AM PDT by Dallas59
The object 2010 KH has been observed only by WISE and currently has a disgusting orbit: semimajor axis = 3.2 +- 3 AU. In fact, it might not even be a NEO. However, by using the available data, we have found Virtual impactors, including one in 2015, of course with a very low impact probability (the asteroid could be almost anywhere, thus we cannot exclude that it could be on top of us at some time in the near future).
Now this situation is very unpleasant. This object possibly does not even exist as a NEO, on the other hand the nominal solution is a NEO with absolute magnitude 18.2. Our way to handle this would be to proclaim that it has not been discovered, and refuse to give credit to WISE and to NASA for such a terrible job. However, as you well know, this kind of decision is not in our hands.
Our job is to report objects which might be impacting the Earth. It is not part of our style to adopt scare tactics to push astronomers to observe asteroids with Virtual Impactors; however, with very simple arithmetics, it can be deduced from our risk page that in case this asteroid was to impact the Earth in 2015, the impact energy is estimated at 8,000 megatons.
(Excerpt) Read more at tech.groups.yahoo.com ...
I can guess what will happen.
1. They will determine that the asteroid is actually going to hit Earth.
2. NASA and the US military will team up to build a rocket with a nuclear warhead aboard to deflect the asteroid.
3. They will get the rocket built and on the launch pad.
4. 30 seconds before launch the EPA will file an injunction against liftoff on the grounds that the environmental impact study of the effects of the rocket’s exhaust has not been done properly — the document was delivered with a 10-point Helvetica font instead of 12-point Time Roman.
5. It takes two days to get a court to lift the injunction.
6. Rocket launches too late to stop the asteroid from hitting Earth.
7. Asteroid hits Earth, and Obama makes a speech stating we will find who in NASA and the military were responsible for the failure and uses the resulting crisis to increase carbon taxes.
I’m going to earnestly endeavor to walk my fingers forcefully by that assertion without any witty reply.
One of his gargantuan dingle berry’s.
1870, 1914 and 1940 do support your thesis regarding “monkey screamimg.”
1870, 1914 and 1940 do support your thesis regarding “monkey screaming.”
1870, 1914 and 1940 do support your thesis regarding “monkey screaming.”
Repeat for effect please.
It does increase the number of views on a thread!
That would be extremely funny if it wasn’t so true! We can’t even make jokes by using extremes while the Leftists have the power. They are living jokes.
That would be extremely funny if it wasn’t so true! We can’t even make jokes by using extremes while the Leftists have the power. They are living jokes.
AT least then I won’t see it coming! That’s an excellent idea! :)
That’s gonna leave a mark!
LOL for some reason, that made me laugh, and I thank you. After watching the DOW the last couple of days I needed that!
If true I want to be at ground zero at impact, drinking a bottle of 20-year-old Pappy Van Winkle bourbon.
seems to me that something that size would definitely alter the earths orbit unless it hit dead on, not to mention it would speed up or slow down it's rotation or change it's direction of rotation all together depending on the angle and distance from the center of mass...
Oh, I don’t know. Sometimes I think it might take something like a Deep Impact to straighten out the mess made by our insane leaders.
If anthropogenic global warming is true then we won’t have to worry about it any more....
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Too small to have very much influence. The Moon is around a quarter the diameter of the Earth, and is constantly in pretty close proximity (as astronomical objects go), and is about one percent the Earth’s mass; this little boulder is pretty much nothing, just a kernel of corn in someone’s crap.
Let it HIT the surface, then it would be big trouble. Unless it the impact site were, say, Tehran...
:’)
NICE graphic, Dallas59.
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