RECORD-SETTING ASTEROID FLYBY: On Feb. 15th.........update

This is a record-setting close approach," says Don Yeomans of NASA's Near Earth Object Program at JPL. "Since regular sky surveys began in the 1990s, we've never seen an object this big get so close to Earth."


[link to science.nasa.gov]



now they tell us this is big guys

I know a ways off but can we pin for planning

Wonder if it will hit any satellites.

Planning for what? A shopping trip?

2012DA 14 a near earth asteroid with an estimated diameter of about 45 meters (148 ft) and an estimated mass of about 130,000 metric tons.[3] It was discovered on February 23, 2012, by the OAM Observatory, La Sagra in Spain (J75)[1] seven days after passing 0.0174 AU (2,600,000 km; 1,620,000 mi) from Earth on February 16.[2] Calculations show that on February 15, 2013, the distance between the asteroid and Earth will be 0.000228 AU (34,100 km; 21,200 mi)
[link to en.wikipedia.org (secure)]




Oh Lord looks like a worm

I have a feeling this may be important. Astrologically, mid-February is setting up for some big changes.

Just go a little closer.

On Feb. 15th an asteroid about half the size of a football field will fly past Earth only 17,200 miles above our planet's surface. There's no danger of a collision, but the space rock, designated 2012 DA14, has NASA's attention.

This is a record-setting close approach," says Don Yeomans of NASA's Near Earth Object Program at JPL. "Since regular sky surveys began in the 1990s, we've never seen an object this big get so close to Earth."

This is a record-setting close approach," says Don Yeomans of NASA's Near Earth Object Program at JPL. "Since regular sky surveys began in the 1990s, we've never seen an object this big get so close to Earth."

On Feb. 15th an asteroid about half the size of a football field will fly past Earth closer than many man-made satellites. Since regular sky surveys began in the 1990s, astronomers have never seen an object so big come so close to our planet. [full story] [video] spaceweather.com

How will we live without satellites?

We managed before 1959.

Not as if this thing could take out all satellites, just one or two.
The risk would be that such a collision could cause a Kessler Syndrome to occur.
Making space inaccessible for a while.

[/youtube] [link to www.youtube.com]

You all might want to watch out for this one.
Incoming!!

You should ask for a pin for this one

How do you feel about it hitting Iridium satellites.

Maybe it could help clean up this
There is so much junk in space that collisions could start to increase exponentially, leading to a continuously growing pile of rubble in orbit, a new report warns.

The independent report, released today (Sept. 1), surveyed NASA's work to meet the threat of space debris. It was sponsored by NASA, and conducted by the National Research Council, a nonprofit science policy organization.

Space debris — an accumulation of broken satellites, spent rocket stages and other junk in orbit — is dangerous because it could hit and damage working satellites, as well as spacecraft like the International Space Station. [Worst Space Debris Events of All Time]


[link to www.space.com]

only 17,000 miles away from earth when it passes by. will actually line up between Low Earth Orbit (intl space station) and geostationary orbit.

Wouldn't that be something! We are living in some unfucking real times!

They just keep coming!

This is the real doom just in time for Valentines Day

That ^ ^ is not a 'monolith',nevermind.

Any chance the GLP Telescope could be dusted off for this?

what is thissssss?

Furked urrp.

wow that was my 1st thought , even if it does not hit us we have so much junk up there


Currently about 19,000 pieces of debris larger than 5 cm are tracked,[1] with another 300,000 pieces smaller than 1 cm below 2000 km altitude.[1] For comparison, ISS orbits in the 300–400 km range and both the 2009 collision and 2007 antisat test events occurred at between 800–900 km.[1]


[link to en.wikipedia.org (secure)]

[link to en.wikipedia.org]