Chance of asteroids hitting earth very slim - Russian astronomers

INterfax ^ | May 8 2006 12:01PM

[x5452]

May 8 2006 12:01PM Chance of asteroids hitting earth very slim - Russian astronomers

ST.PETERSBURG/MOSCOW. May 8 (Interfax) - The chance of a large asteroid hitting our planet in the next 100 years is "extremely slim," astronomer Sergei Smirnov of the Pulkovo Main Observatory told journalists.

Smirnov dismissed as unfounded reports that a giant asteroid could strike the Earth in the summer of 2008 and said this is clear from experts' calculations.

U.S. astronomers have lately been closely monitoring a large newly discovered asteroid, which they said has a very little chance of colliding with the earth.

The odds of asteroid 2006 HZ51's impact currently stand at just one in six million. The New Scientist journal wrote that the asteroid is 800 meters in diameter.

One hundred and sixty-five dates are named when the asteroid could strike the earth, the earliest being June 21 2008. sd

[ExcursionGuy84]

Jerry Bruckheimer & Michael Bay will sue--count on it! [sarcasm off]

[LIConFem]

I'm ready...

[Slings and Arrows]

Bush's fault.

[NutCrackerBoy]

The odds of asteroid 2006 HZ51's impact currently stand at just one in six million. The New Scientist journal wrote that the asteroid is 800 meters in diameter. -Interfax

They should name it Hillary's Butt.

[Mikey_1962]

DUH!

[ko_kyi]

The chance is %100 if we wait long enough

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

But the consequences are a bear.

[A CA Guy]

Chance of asteroids hitting earth very slim - Russian astronomers

But that one time is going to smart for a second.

[finnman69]

Deal or No Deal?

[freakboy]

Whether or not an asteroid hits us in the next 100 years is pretty much deterministic (non-random) and depends on the laws of physics. If a large asteroid is going to his us, it is already on the path to do so. The only uncertainty lies in the fact that it is too hard for us to predict what is going to happen over the course of 100 years. Of course it is possible that we will be able to deflect such an asteroid in the future.

[Red Badger]

I want #25 to open her..........uh......case........

[Red Badger]

2006 HZ51?.........A Bird Flu Asteroid?.......

[coconutt2000]

The odds of asteroid 2006 HZ51's impact currently stand at just one in six million. The New Scientist journal wrote that the asteroid is 800 meters in diameter.

In astronomical terms, isn't anything greater than 1 chance in a billion considered a close call?

[Lunatic Fringe]

The chance of a large asteroid hitting our planet in the next 100 years is "extremely slim"

On the other hand, the change it will happen in the next 100,000 years is pretty good.

[PerConPat]

The chance of a large asteroid hitting our planet in the next 100 years is "extremely slim," astronomer Sergei Smirnov of the Pulkovo Main Observatory told journalists.

I am deeply troubled by reassurances from the science and technology program that brought us Chernobyl etc..

[Socratic]

Chance of the Soviet Union failing - very slim.

[kinoxi]

even leroy brown knows you don't mess around with slim...

[theDentist]

I ain't worried...

We got the solution at hand!

[Lunatic Fringe]

If a large asteroid is going to his us, it is already on the path to do so.

Perhaps not. An asteroid in the field between Mars and Jupiter can collide with another, sending it on a trajectory with our orbit.

What's scary is that our recent near misses went completely undetected because the asteroid originated from path between Earth and the sun, making it impossible to see until it passed.