A Rock Moves In Space 846
theBrownfury writes: "The BBC is reporting here that
a very large Earth collision course asteroid has been discovered. This asteroid, NT7,
was first observed on July 5th and current data suggests an impact date of
February 1st, 2019. NT7 is 2kms wide and on date of impact will be approaching
Earth at 28km/s. An asteroid of this size is large enough to cause continent
wide destruction. However astronomers are still cautious in reporting this
asteroid as the orbit of NT7 has not been fully verified. Current data on
NT7's orbit suggests it orbits the Sun every 837 days and travels in a tilted
orbit from about the distance of Mars to just within the Earth's orbit." The BBC article's headline (and accompanying illustration) are more alarming than the story itself seems to warrant: this asteroid has been given a 0.06 on the Palermo technical scale, which means it shouldn't bump getting run over by a llama off your list of worries.
Re:Okayyy... (Score:3, Insightful)
Be realistic. Even those who insist on calling the US names all the time generally wouldn't accuse us of being inactive. Should this happen, I would be willing to bet that the US would foot quite a bit more than their share of the bill (calculated either way that you gave above), and take charge of the operation to make sure it's completed. And when it was over, the US would say, "Yout guys all owe us one." After which everyone would go back to hating us.
Don't laugh yet.. :( (Score:4, Insightful)
Hope you don't feel too safe with the fact that NASA and many European astronomers are searching the skies daily for these threats... Someone's letting us down.
(nb yep im an aussie..)
Re:The Mayan calendar (Score:2, Insightful)
Hence, if their calendar ends in 2012 that must mean something... :)
Re:Quick, before it's too late (Score:2, Insightful)
moving in space (Score:4, Insightful)
Regarding the title, "A rock moves in space".
Moving in space is relative. Relative to the earth, *every* rock in space is moving (unless maybe there is something in those Lagrange points, or whatever you call them.)
Further, the solar system is orbiting around the galactic center, and the galaxy (Milky Way) is moving toward the Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
Personally, I don't want to go the the Virgo Cluster. Too many galaxies there to bump into and trigger nasty big-star supernovas in the process. But I have no choice in the matter.
Damned gravity.
Re:Okayyy... (Score:2, Insightful)
I can't even count the amount of times I have heard, "The USA is the best country in the world" on American television in the past 10 months. No doubt, written by an American who has never crossed an International border.
Don't get me wrong.. I love the USA. I love what it stands for. I love the media I enjoy, I love the imported products I buy. But don't be so quick to say stupid shit that assumes the USA will be the only one who fixes the problem. You're talking about a country who calls NASA's Canada Arm, "the Big Arm". I'm tired of hearing shit like this. There are other competent nations too. You are not the only country that has the expertise and extra money to devote to saving the world.
Owe you one? Bah. Go back to hating you? You arrogant fucks... you just don't get it.
Again.. I don't mean this in as much haste as it sounds like.. I'm just really tired of hearing Americans whine that no one likes them.. then they say shit like this.
Still, God bless the USA.
Re:run over by a llama? (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, but in real life, he'd be less likely, because he's learned his lesson and knows to keep his distance from the speeding llamas...
Re:"Palmero Technical Scale"? (Score:1, Insightful)