Thread: Death by Asteroid

It's baaaaack! A possible case of 'roids so bad, even an ocean full of Preparation H couldn't give comfort: the November reappearance of Asteroid 2005 YU55. Coincidentally, I'm currently listening to an audio book format of Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" and am on the section about the Manson Crater and asteroid-caused extinction events in Earth's history. The Manson Crater, considered have caused widespread death and destruction during the Cretaceous Period 74 million years ago, was not considered to have been responsible for any extinctions. It is guessed to have been about 2 kilometers in diameter, 5 times the size of Asteroid 2005 YU55.

Asteroid 2005 YU55 to Approach Earth on November 8, 2011

Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass within 0.85 lunar distances from the Earth on November 8, 2011. The upcoming close approach by this relatively large 400 meter-sized, C-type asteroid presents an excellent opportunity for synergistic ground-based observations including optical, near infrared and radar data. The attached animated illustration shows the Earth and moon flyby geometry for November 8th and 9th when the object will reach a visual brightness of 11th magnitude and should be easily visible to observers in the northern and southern hemispheres. The closest approach to Earth and the Moon will be respectively 0.00217 AU and 0.00160 AU on 2011 November 8 at 23:28 and November 9 at 07:13 UT.

It was here last year too: Potentially Dangerous Asteroid Spotted Passing Earth | Space.com



List of Visible Craters in the US-Meteor Craters-Impact Craters

While the odds of an asteroid strike by 2005 YU55 in November are next to none, a strike by asteroid 2004 MN4 is a little better.

Asteroid With Chance of Hitting Earth in 2029 Now Being Watched 'Very Carefully' | Space.com

pegged at having a 1-in -45 chance of striking the planet on April 13, 2029

While the odds are still slender, this could set up a possible collision in 2036.
99942 Apophis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Additional observations provided improved predictions that eliminated the possibility of an impact on Earth or the Moon in 2029. However, a possibility remained that during the 2029 close encounter with Earth, Apophis would pass through a gravitational keyhole, a precise region in space no more than about a half-mile wide,[6] that would set up a future impact on April 13, 2036.

So?? Now what?? No more arguing with conservatives..

Originally Posted by MajikMyst

So?? Now what?? No more arguing with conservatives..

Death, the great equalizer.

Simulation of a 500KM asteroid strike set to Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig In The Sky"

I tell you what would be really cool. Slowing one down enough before entry into our atmosphere to allow it to penetrate but not so fast we couldn't slow it down once it penetrates. Then slow it down even more -- enough to make a soft landing. Now that would be a cool tourist attraction sitting on the ground! Of course I'm not talking about a 300 km wide one just a few km's.

Originally Posted by EnigmaO01

I tell you what would be really cool. Slowing one down enough before entry into our atmosphere to allow it to penetrate but not so fast we couldn't slow it down once it penetrates. Then slow it down even more -- enough to make a soft landing. Now that would be a cool tourist attraction sitting on the ground! Of course I'm not talking about a 300 km wide one just a few km's.

That would be pretty cool, but I don't see how it could be done. I hate nuclear weapons, but I do think it's a good idea to keep a couple on hand in case we need to blow one of these up. I know a regular missile might pack enough punch to alter the course of an earth destroyer, but I'd sleep a little easier knowing we have the firepower to destroy one of these. Now if only that was the sole reason why nukes exist

Sometimes, in my darkest moments, I almost wish one of these would actually threaten earth. Not to destroy us, I'd want it to be blown up before it could hit, but maybe if we all were in danger, bigotry would cease to exist, if only for a moment. I remember after 9/11 there was a sense of brotherhood with our fellow man. For about a week no one cared if their neighbor was gay, or black, or republican, or like me *wink*. In our darkest hour, we come together. If only we could come together without a tragedy to remind us that we are all human, and all deserving of respect and compassion.

We have the nukes, but we don't have the rockets to lift a few towards a target that deep in space. At least not with the little amount of time we'd have for most threats. Odds are, we won't be hit by an Earth destroyer. Just something a few KM across that will kill a billion or so people immediately and then from the aftereffects of so much dust and smoke in the air most crops die for a year or two. It'd be tough, but the good news is all rural rednecks who stocked up for Y2K, have cached their weapons out of fear of Clinton then Obama and are stockpiling supplies out of concern about a collapse of the United Socialists of America will survive just fine.

Yeeee-Hawww!

Originally Posted by Dark Lion

That would be pretty cool, but I don't see how it could be done. I hate nuclear weapons, but I do think it's a good idea to keep a couple on hand in case we need to blow one of these up. I know a regular missile might pack enough punch to alter the course of an earth destroyer, but I'd sleep a little easier knowing we have the firepower to destroy one of these. Now if only that was the sole reason why nukes exist
.

From what I have read a nuc would bust it into a multitude of pieces which could be just as bad if not worse.