Asteroid Comes Close to Earth
by Frank Jovine on 03/02/2009 in Science
This feels like something out of a movie, but what’s so bizarre is hearing about it now and not before it passed Earth. The asteroid buzzed by Earth Monday, though only real astronomy geeks in the Pacific would have noticed.
The rock, estimated to be no more than 200 feet wide, zoomed past our planet at an altitude of 40,000 miles at 1:44 p.m. universal time — or 8:44 EST.
Dubbed 2009 DD45, it was discovered only on Friday by Australian astronomers.
Forty thousand miles may sound like a lot, but it’s only about one-seventh of the way to the moon, and less than twice as far out as many telecommunications satellites.
Had 2009 DD45 hit the Earth, it would have exploded on or near the surface with the force of a large nuclear blast — not very reassuring when you consider humanity had only about three days’ notice.
According to the Australian news Web site Crikey, the asteroid is likely to be drawn in by Earth’s gravity, meaning it may return for many more near misses in the future.
Jilli
Mar 2nd, 2009
If you weren’t looking for it and you didn’t know about it the wayward journey to the moon is almost complete.
Frank J
Mar 2nd, 2009
That’s like you didn’t seeing coming so you didn’t know what hit you. lol
Kikolani | Blogging, Poetry, Photography
Mar 2nd, 2009
That makes the movie Armageddon seem a bit more possible. There probably isn’t much we could do in three days, except hide in storm shelters and hope for the best.
~ Kristi
Frank J
Mar 2nd, 2009
It really does. It’s scary to think we would not be warned.
Nick
Mar 4th, 2009
And…. who thinks that the possibility of the world ending by 2012 is rubbish now?
Frank J
Mar 4th, 2009
Nick,
This may be just a taste of what could come.
Alex
Mar 5th, 2009
accually i think its better not be to warned i mean it would be nice to say your last goodbyes to your family but i mean can you imagine being that paranoid..id rather it be quick and painless. but i think the 2012 stuff is bull shit
Frank J
Mar 5th, 2009
Alex,
I agree, I to wouldn’t want to know the end of life.
Asteroid Comes Close to Earth : GoWally.com
Mar 8th, 2009
[...] Asteroid near miss [...]
bob
Jul 8th, 2009
The only real solution to the threat of asteroids is the Global Asteroid Protection Society (stoprocks.com). The international space community has no real plan, no idea how to defend the human population.