Near Miss... Asteroid Buzzes Earth...

Tecnos · 03-05-2009, 01:41 AM

Planetary News: Near Earth Objects (2009)
Space Rock Swoops by Earth
March 2, 2009

A Near Earth Object designated 2009 DD45 buzzed the Earth early this morning (Pacific Time), passing within 70,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) of the Earth's surface. To give an idea of just how close a shave this was, consider this: 70,000 kilometers is just one fifth of the distance from the Earth to the moon, and only twice the distance at which geostationary telecommunications satellites orbit.

he space rock was discovered only two days ago by Rob McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia, when it was a dim speck about 1.5 million kilometers away. It became brightest when it passed closest to Earth at 13:44 Universal Time, which is 5:44am Pacific Time, and has been getting dimmer ever since. At the point of closest approach 2009 DD45 was over the Pacific Ocean near Tahiti, which means it could be observed from Australia, Japan, and China, but not from North America or Europe.

According to NASA's NEO program 2009 DD45 is a sizable rock, between 21 and 47 meters in diameter. This is comparable to the size of the Tunguska impactor of 1908. Since the object is in a solar orbit that touches on Earth's orbit, astronomers predict that that 2009 will visit us again in future years.

Jean-Claude Pelle, recipient of a Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO grant for 2007, tracked the space rock fromhis observatory in Punaauia, Tahiti, and sent us this image:

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/obser.../40504617.html
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/sc...12212488.shtml
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2296274.ece

Omnihil · 03-05-2009, 07:00 AM

Just to be annoying: Near Miss is a typical Newspeak phenomenon.
It was obviously a Near Hit, a Near miss would mean it had in fact collided with earth.

kidflash2008 · 03-05-2009, 08:57 AM

The Earth is only 8,000 miles across, so 70,000 miles is a lot. If it were a few hundred miles, that would be a near hit.

It is time to make sure our nuclear missiles can be programmed to hit near a comet or asteroid to move its path.

Truthed · 03-05-2009, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidflash2008

It is time to make sure our nuclear missiles can be programmed to hit near a comet or asteroid to move its path.

I agree, Surely we have the technology to do this

HouTexan · 03-06-2009, 06:55 AM

So I guess we'll never be told or know by the ones who do know that our doom is a split second away...

My friend claims that it's because the people will freak knowing the world's destruction is a day away...I think so too...that's why the people up top have been disclosing the supernatural (aliens, ghosts, monsters) for the past couple of years through the media so we won't freak upon an unanticipated, undeniable disclosure event.

Mingus · 03-06-2009, 10:22 AM

Not quite, not all the asteroids/comets are identified and tracked because of such things as them being too small or even the lack of light exposure rendering them practically invisible. Plus, we track so many, it may be a simple problem of just mistaking one that isn't identified for one that is.

The nukes are being replaced with the soft propulsion gizmos anyway, which attach itself to the object and gently push it out of the way with it's propulsion. The nukes are said to most likely make things worse.

03-05-2009, 01:41 AM	#1
Tecnos Investigator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: UK Posts: 419	Near Miss... Asteroid Buzzes Earth... Planetary News: Near Earth Objects (2009) Space Rock Swoops by Earth March 2, 2009 A Near Earth Object designated 2009 DD45 buzzed the Earth early this morning (Pacific Time), passing within 70,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) of the Earth's surface. To give an idea of just how close a shave this was, consider this: 70,000 kilometers is just one fifth of the distance from the Earth to the moon, and only twice the distance at which geostationary telecommunications satellites orbit. he space rock was discovered only two days ago by Rob McNaught at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia, when it was a dim speck about 1.5 million kilometers away. It became brightest when it passed closest to Earth at 13:44 Universal Time, which is 5:44am Pacific Time, and has been getting dimmer ever since. At the point of closest approach 2009 DD45 was over the Pacific Ocean near Tahiti, which means it could be observed from Australia, Japan, and China, but not from North America or Europe. According to NASA's NEO program 2009 DD45 is a sizable rock, between 21 and 47 meters in diameter. This is comparable to the size of the Tunguska impactor of 1908. Since the object is in a solar orbit that touches on Earth's orbit, astronomers predict that that 2009 will visit us again in future years. Jean-Claude Pelle, recipient of a Planetary Society Shoemaker NEO grant for 2007, tracked the space rock fromhis observatory in Punaauia, Tahiti, and sent us this image: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/obser.../40504617.html http://www.postchronicle.com/news/sc...12212488.shtml http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle2296274.ece __________________ Last edited by Tecnos; 03-05-2009 at 01:42 AM.

03-05-2009, 07:00 AM	#2
Omnihil Junior Investigator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Netherlands Posts: 14	Just to be annoying: Near Miss is a typical Newspeak phenomenon. It was obviously a Near Hit, a Near miss would mean it had in fact collided with earth. __________________ There are none more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

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03-05-2009, 08:57 AM	#3
kidflash2008 Senior Investigator Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,699	The Earth is only 8,000 miles across, so 70,000 miles is a lot. If it were a few hundred miles, that would be a near hit. It is time to make sure our nuclear missiles can be programmed to hit near a comet or asteroid to move its path.

03-06-2009, 06:55 AM	#5
HouTexan Junior Investigator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Spring, TX Posts: 18	So I guess we'll never be told or know by the ones who do know that our doom is a split second away... My friend claims that it's because the people will freak knowing the world's destruction is a day away...I think so too...that's why the people up top have been disclosing the supernatural (aliens, ghosts, monsters) for the past couple of years through the media so we won't freak upon an unanticipated, undeniable disclosure event.

03-06-2009, 10:22 AM	#6
Mingus Investigator Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 325	Not quite, not all the asteroids/comets are identified and tracked because of such things as them being too small or even the lack of light exposure rendering them practically invisible. Plus, we track so many, it may be a simple problem of just mistaking one that isn't identified for one that is. The nukes are being replaced with the soft propulsion gizmos anyway, which attach itself to the object and gently push it out of the way with it's propulsion. The nukes are said to most likely make things worse.