Hefty Asteroid to Sweep Near Earth. (Almost a half mile wide. Can be Seen w/Binoculars)

Sky and Telescope ^ | Roger W. Sinnott

[RetiredArmy]

WE'RE DOOMED! The only chance we have is Hillery gets elected president and they beam her face into space to scare it away! WE'RE DOOMED!

[Jay W]

Unfortunately, it takes more energy to get to the sun than to about anyplace else in the solar system.

How did Old Navy do it then?

("Fun in the sun? Oh no, my friend, fun on the sun!")

;-)

[Pharmboy]

Somebody help me out here: we will be able to see an object a mere 1/2 mile across that is 333,000 miles away with a regular pair of binoculars??

[skateman]

Both agencies are focusing on a flyby just 20 years from now (on August 18, 2022), when there appears to be a 1-in-500,000 chance of an impact — extremely unlikely, but worrisome just the same.

Well, if it's ultimatley gonna hit us, let it be Southern California.

[aristeides]

You wouldn't have to hit such an asteroid with something to deflect it. You could accomplish the same end by diverting the earth ever so slightly. Would that cost so much?

[VadeRetro]

Opinions?

Don't worry about this one. There's a much bigger one that will take us all out on Feb. 1, 2019.

[OBAFGKM]

"will be able to see an object a mere 1/2 mile across that is 333,000 miles away with a regular pair of binoculars?"

The article estimates that the asteroid will get as bright as magnitude 9.3. As a rule of thumb, 50mm binoculars will allow you to see a magnitude 10 object. You'll be able to see it with them, barely, if you have a really dark sky and know where to look. No way with 35mm binoculars.

You might want to check the Sky and Telescope web site or pick up the next issue.

[rintense]

Starship Troopers... LOVE IT! Bugs throwing rocks at Earth... priceless.

[stands2reason]

I would think it would at least mess with the weather...

[RightWhale]

diverting the earth ever so slightly

Procedure for moving planets:

1. Remove atmosphere
2. Stop rotation
3. Install and activate thrust vector motors
4. After arriving in desired location, reverse this procedure.

[aristeides]

What I was thinking was, a few megaton thermonuclear bombs, strategically placed and simultaneously exploded, might delay the progress of the earth in its orbit by a fraction of a second (or, conversely, speed its progress up). Would it be impossible for them to have that effect?

[RightWhale]

Yeah, you could do that. It would take more than a few megatons to make a measureable difference. Maybe if you launched the entire continent of Africa into deep space you would get some result, probably not enough to matter. Remember there are only enough nukes on earth now to launch France into the stratosphere where it would just drift back over a period of weeks and wouldn't change earth's orbit at all. But the Environmental Impact Statement would be the real hard part.

[ffusco]

thanks, Loved that movie with its jolly fascism, beautiful young people and jingoism. Physicist felt he needed to correct my spelling of the bug home world. Betcha couldn't pull a needle out of his but with a tractor!

[Mr_Magoo]

diverting the earth ever so slightly

Easier:

On the next Shuttle trip, sent up a Stop Light.

[Godebert]

If I could have back all the quarters I dumped in that machine in the late seventies, I'd be a rich man.

[justaguy]

Remember back when NASA was trying to do a near fly-by of Mars, but the vehicle (probe, satellite, whatever) crashed due to a Metric/English Standard mistake?

I hope someone checked their math...

[RightWhale]

I hope someone checked their math...

When the survival of mankind, civilization, and the planet itself is at stake, will somebody come to their senses long enough to check the math? Maybe, but I have learned that if someone is using the wrong numbers, not only will they not listen to you, but they will bet the farm, too.

[roadcat]

We should try for an unmanned landing on it, and leave some souvenirs there. For example, a tablet with the 10 commandments, a U.S. flag, a cross and Star of David, a plaque stating "In God We Trust", pictures of Presidents Reagan and Bush (both of 'em). That ought to really piss off the ACLU and other liberal scum!

[budwiesest]

Won't be a few $1 million. More like $100 billion to $1 trillion.
It will probably still be too light to see this from Fairbanks,

Things are always more expensive in Alaska (was in Anchorage in'65). Enjoy your astronomical observations very much. Since our budgets have become astronomical, I'm taking your word for it. ;^)

[RightWhale]

Since our budgets have become astronomical, I'm taking your word for it

Hasn't been much objection to the $1 trillion figure. Maybe I'm bidding way too low :)