[Las Vegas Dave]

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.

[Las Vegas Dave]

Pinging.

[U-238]

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

[Vendome]

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

A rock rocks the rock....

[AlexW]

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.

[U-238]

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.

[hosepipe]

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

[Telepathic Intruder]

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.

[Natufian]

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

[Rebelbase]

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

Pfft...that’s just a side show.

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

[NonValueAdded]

deflect it? might do better to learn how to aim it.

[bgill]

Another 18 years before we finally get the white hut aired out.

[TheOldLady]

Ahhhh, finally. Something I don’t have to worry about.