Huge 500ft asteroid to skim [3,172,582 miles] past Earth at 38,000mph on MONDAY, Nasa reveals

the sun uk ^ | 11/23/2019 | sean keach

[IndispensableDestiny]

When you think about it, it is remarkable that so many asteroids pass within 5 to 10 million miles of earth.

It's because over the eons, the Earth (with the moon) have plowed away most of the rubbish in its path. That effect is part of the definition of a planet; something Pluto may not have.

[Flick Lives]

A much bigger satellite, 2000 miles diameter is SKIMMING past the earth RIGHT NOW, ONLY 240,000 miles away. PANIC!

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Actually the Earth’s rather large moon makes it an excellent natural “deflector shield” for asteroids.

[PIF]

If an oncoming asteroid is not measured in miles, it is not a huge asteroid, but a small rock. 500 ft = small rock.

[GingisK]

3+ million miles is just not a “skim”. Sorry.

[mumblypeg]

“Not that close but it’s just a matter of time before we take a hit.”

Any day now. Because of climate change.

[alexander_busek]

When you think about it, it is remarkable that so many asteroids pass within 5 to 10 million miles of earth. The earth’s orbital radius is 93 million miles. The earth orbits the sun in a plane, so any asteroid coming close to earth has to pass through our orbital plane AND be at the location where the earth is in its orbit. Almost all the bodies in the solar system travel in roughly the same orbital plane. Those with highly elliptical orbits, hyperbolic orbits, or highly inclined orbits can intersect the earth’s path.

Yeah, it's almost like there were literally thousand or even millions of those things out there! But that could't be true, could it?

Regards,

P.S.

1. A hyperbolic orbit is no orbit at all; it's a one-time encounter. Same for a parabolic trajectory.

2. As far as how many asteroids there are… well, if you only consider those larger than 100 meters orbiting within the inner Solar System, there's over 150 million. Count smaller ones and you get even more. - Universe Today, Posted on September 25, 2012 by Jason Major

[21twelve]

Warm air is lighter than cold air.
So cold air is denser, and won’t shield us as well from a strike. SCIENCE!

[mumblypeg]

Yep. 💣💥👀

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I included the hyperbolic “orbit” to include visitors from outside the solar system. Based on recent findings, maybe there are more of those than we thought.

Over 150 million objects greater than 100 meters — wow. I wonder how many are not parked in safe orbits and swing inside the earth’s orbit.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks DoodleBob. I can't remember if I pinged this, so, apologies if needed.

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[SunkenCiv]

Heh... the reason there are fewer than there once were is that they collide with the Earth every now and again, at random intervals, leaving formations like the Ries Basion, the Haughton astrobleme, Manicougan crater, and Chicxulub.

[Redcitizen]

Thats gotta raise up the remaining asteroids’ collision insurance.

[SunkenCiv]

"Why are asteroids called asteroids and hemorrhoids called hemorrhoids? Shouldn't it be the other way around?" -- Robert Schimmel