Asteroid almost hits Earth

[efq]

An asteroid of a similar size to a rock that exploded above Siberia in 1908 with the force of a thousand atomic bombs whizzed close past Earth on Monday, astronomers said on Tuesday.

http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/ne/afp/20090303/10/166266421-space-rock-gives-earth-close-shave.jpg?x=168&y=232&q=75&sig=9mSIbkVTE7ItMrfw9skZ2w--#168,232

2009 DD45, estimated to be between 21 and 47 meters (68 and 152 feet) across, raced by at 1344 GMT on Monday, the Planetary Society and astronomers' blogs reported.
The gap was just 72,000 kilometers (44,750 miles), or a fifth of the distance between Earth and the Moon and only twice the height of satellites in geosynchronous orbit, the website space.com said.
The estimated size is similar to that of an asteroid or comet that exploded above Tunguska, Siberia, on June 30 1908, flattening 80 million trees in a swathe of more than 2,000 square kilometres (800 square miles).
2009 DD45 was spotted last Saturday by astronomers at the Siding Spring Survey in Australia (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/fc/australia-new-zealand.html), and was verified by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Centre (MPC), which catalogues Solar System rocks.
The closest flyby listed by the MPC is 2004 FU162, a small asteroid about six metres (20 feet) across which came within about 6,500 kms (4,000 miles) of us in March 2004.
Asteroid 2009 DD45
Ok, thats scary and whats even scary is that we wasn't alert of it, so if one does ever head for us then we wouldn't know if they can't tell if this was gonna shoot past us.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090303/tsc-space-rock-gives-earth-a-close-shave-50a9c9d.html

[Immenseman]

Yeah, I read this earlier on Yahoo home page they said it was big enough to destroy the whole of London. I know it's not that much really put into perspective but was still over 70,000 KM away.

[Axel]

Another 44000 miles to the left and we'd be a goner!!!

[Hazza]

If it happens it happens.

[efq]

A fifth of a distance to the moon, thats close if your thinking of what damage it can do.
I ain't to happy on any asteroid thats closer than the moon (Not considering the little ones than burn in the atmosphere)

Just wonder, what would happen if it did head for us :S

[Minstrels]

Yeah, I read this earlier on Yahoo home page they said it was big enough to destroy the whole of London. I know it's not that much really put into perspective but was still over 70,000 KM away.
If we can get two, one to hit London and one for Asia I'll be up for it! No more United fans eh? ;)

[efq]

If we can get two, one to hit London and one for Asia I'll be up for it! No more United fans eh? ;)
Why London, your better off in Manchester lol? :D

[Minstrels]

Why London, your better off in Manchester lol? :D
Not if we want to wipe Manchester United fans we're not! :lol:

[Jordy]

I wouldn't worry about them not knowing, if it hits you there'd be no point knowing as you'd be gone in an instant anyway. 'Before you knew what hit you' ;)

[efq]

Not if we want to wipe Manchester United fans we're not! :lol:
Lets get an extra one then, just to make sure we get rid of them :P
But your MC can be immune to it haha

[5,5]

What would you difference be if they had told people? It wouldve just caused caos and people would be scared for their life. Which whether they knew baout it or not theyd die.

[Twist]

Anybody else feel that?

[kk.]

if you were told, what would you do. Think about the particle accelerator, what did everyone do then?! Panic.

If it was gonna hit they would have said anyway. Its not THAT big of a deal, and tbh, its got a 70% chance of hitting water and causing a tidal wave, which they have mroe time to plan for too and save more lives

[myke]

That's weird... my class were talking about stuff like this in PSR :/

[e5]

Not if we want to wipe Manchester United fans we're not! :lol:
:lol:... theres like 3 Man united fans living in Manchester:P

[xxMATTGxx]

:lol:... theres like 3 Man united fans living in Manchester:P

Does that count me then? Lol. Yeah, Just watched a youtube video and it mentioned this. Seems like it got close, but not close enough! :P

[efq]

I'd lol my head off if it just hit the sea and did a little splash.

[Jordy]

I'd lol my head off if it just hit the sea and did a little splash.Why though? It's impossible.

It would be funny if planets were giant rubber chickens but they're not so there's no point bringing it up.

[efq]

Why though? It's impossible.

It would be funny if planets were giant rubber chickens but they're not so there's no point bringing it up.
I know its impossible, but the fact if it did happen and like everyone was panicking and all the emergency services all ready and you see on tv it hits the sea and a little plop lol.

[J0SH]

We wanna get rid of the northerners though so yes to astroids ahead Manchester!

[efq]

Its amazing how such a small thing could do so much damage, you could become the super evil person of the world. Get a space ship and tons of oxygen or whatever. Get some large rocks and throw them on earth. Design them to not melt in the atmosphere lol.

[JackBuddy]

Ok, thats scary and whats even scary is that we wasn't alert of it, so if one does ever head for us then we wouldn't know if they can't tell if this was gonna shoot past us.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090303/tsc-space-rock-gives-earth-a-close-shave-50a9c9d.html
What the hell are we supposed to do if everyone is alerted?

[J0SH]

We're to fled to Portugal to Voiding's house with our laptops so we can all have a forum meet up and get our post count up ;)

[kk.]

Laugh and then loot

[Kipp]

Oh well, if it happens England has to be prepared.

[.ZzZzZ]

NOT going to happen

[kk.]

lol if u think it will never happen you are sadly mistaken

[efq]

Of course it will happen one day, lets hope they can shoot it down :D

[Twist]

We're to fled to Portugal to Voiding's house with our laptops so we can all have a forum meet up and get our post count up ;)
That's probably what's on most of our minds right now.

[leah]

Science scares me, so I don't tend to read up on it.
It's shocking that no one knew about it, makes you think what else we don't know about.

[J0SH]

But if a Asteroid was to go for Earth, so said it would hit England? It could hit another country on the other side such as Austalia etc. ;)

[Fez]

Techinally, an asteroid of that size wouldn't kablewm the Earth, but it would cause huge amounts of damage it a large area.

I'm gonna ask my science teacher tomorrow about this, see if he knows more about the actual rock.

[efq]

My science teacher said if they had a early warning of it then NASA or something would send rockets to destroy it into smaller peices. He also said the media exaggerated the situation a bit.

[Niall!]

http://www.tehupload.com/uploads/71918bf3b1fb061nou.jpg (http://www.tehupload.com/share/41440)

[Jordan:A]

Not if we want to wipe Manchester United fans we're not! :lol:
Or just hit Iraq and kill all them