A very tiny asteroid, not much more than 10 feet across, will enter Earth’s atmosphere over Sudan in Africa tonight, October 6-7, 2008, near 2:46 Greenwich Mean Time. Most likely it will burn up before hitting the ground, but it could produce a spectacular fireball, or bolide, in the night sky equivalent to the explosion of about a kiloton of TNT.
These are the assessments of astronomers Andrea Milani of NEODyS in Italy and Steve Chesley (Jet Propulsion Laboratory). They are concerned that eyewitnesses might misinterpret the event as some type of hostile military action. Says Milani, “The earlier the public worldwide is aware that this is a natural phenomenon, which involves no risk, the better.”
The first observatory to capture images of 2008 TC3 (as it’s now designated) were Richard Kowalski and colleagues of Mount Lemmon Observatory in Arizona, about 12 hours ago. Confirming measurements were quickly secured by amateur astronomer James McGaha at Sabino Canyon Observatory near Tucson, and then by Gordon Garrad and others at Australia’s Siding Spring Observatory and also Christopher Jacques and E. Pimentel using the Global Rent-a-Scope site in Moorook, near Melbourne.
First to point out that the incoming object was heading right for a collision with Earth’s atmosphere was Bill Gray of Project Pluto, in a post earlier today to the Minor Planet Mailing List. Canadian amateur Andrew Lowe has independently calculated the object’s point of entry to be over Sudan.
The object’s entry might be visible as far north as southern Europe and the Middle East. Its location in the sky, however, is completely dependent on an observer’s geographic location. As further details become known, be sure to look at the online version of this AstroAlert at SkyandTelescope.com/AstroAlert for possible updates.
GOOD GRIEF!! Iran will see this thing coming in their direction and think WE HAVE STARTED WW3!! They will attack Israel, and then it will be over. Damascus will be hit, and destroyed. The sleeper cells in USA and across the world will be activated. We are in deep trouble!!
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 426925
Yes! It's would be obvious that the infidels were behind the 'newly' discovered asteroid and are trying to replace the dome of the rock with it!
Anonymous Coward User ID: 518841 (OP) 10/6/2008 6:23 PM
Re: An asteroid (ASTEROID 2008 TC3) is going to hit Earth TONIGHT!
For the first time, astronomers have found an object on a certain collision course with Earth. Fortunately, it is so small it is not expected to cause any damage, burning up in the atmosphere somewhere above northern Sudan in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. It may, however, produce a brilliant 'shooting star'.
The space rock, dubbed 8TA9D69, was first spotted on Monday in a survey by the Mt Lemmon Observatory near Tucson, Arizona.
Its brightness suggests it is no more than about 5 metres across – so small it will likely be destroyed in the atmosphere, says Andrea Milani Comparetti of the University of Pisa in Italy.
Rocks of such size are thought to hit the atmosphere every few months, says Steve Chesley, an astronomer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
"The event is not unusual – what is unique is that it's been predicted beforehand," Milani told New Scientist. "This is the first time we see something arriving, compute that it's going to impact, and announce it is going to impact before it happens."
The rock is due to hit the atmosphere above northern Sudan on Tuesday at 0246 GMT. It will be travelling from west to east, and may be visible from a few hundred kilometres away.
Long trail
The meteor it produces is likely to be spectacular. The rock will release about 1 kiloton of energy in the atmosphere – the equivalent of a low-energy nuclear bomb, says Milani. But it's not clear whether it will do so all at once or over a longer period, perhaps lasting a minute or so.
It will hit the atmosphere at an angle of 20°, so "it will make a long trail in the atmosphere", says Milani. "But we cannot honestly predict how long it will be. [The rock] might end up quite far – above the Red Sea or Saudi Arabia – or it might explode and disappear sooner."
If it disintegrates all at once, it would produce a bright flash of light and a loud sonic boom, says Chesley.
This space rock is so small it is unlikely to cause any damage. But it is a reminder that larger and potentially more dangerous rocks might also be on a collision course with Earth.
Impact probability
Milani and Chesley are members of the only two groups in the world that calculate the probability that a given space rock will hit the Earth. They both say that they are delighted at how quickly this meteorite was determined to be on a collision course with Earth – since it was only discovered at about 0630 GMT on Monday.
"For us, [we feel] satisfaction because our computation worked and because this kind of accident – which is without any risk that anybody [would be] hurt – will make people more aware of the fact that something has to be done about asteroids in case a bigger one arrives," Milani told New Scientist.
"The fact that we're able to make this prediction proves the system's working," says Chesley. "These sized objects are not the ones we're most concerned about – there are tens of thousands of much larger objects that could cause real damage on the ground that are still yet to be found."
Despite the advanced warning, there is probably too little time to mount a mission to observe the atmospheric impact from an aeroplane, as sometimes happens during known meteor showers, says Milani. "But now that this is out in the public, anybody who has a telescope is going to be pointing it in that direction," Chesley says.
Comets and Asteroids – Learn more about the threat to human civilisation in our special report.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward 508587
I approve this message the most accurate one I've read yet But I'm only half way through the thread.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 518473 10/6/2008 6:25 PM
Re: An asteroid (ASTEROID 2008 TC3) is going to hit Earth TONIGHT!
[link to wwp.greenwichmeantime.com] "Go with God and may the Holy Spirit give opportunity to share the saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with your friends. Because "Friends don´t let Friends die without Jesus"
Anonymous Coward User ID: 518806 10/6/2008 6:27 PM
Re: An asteroid (ASTEROID 2008 TC3) is going to hit Earth TONIGHT!
Yes, I just watched it on CNN. They said it was the first time in NLE history that they could predict with 100 percent accuracy. But not to worry, will give a light show to Europe and Africa or something...
So move along, nothing to see here, get back to Financial Doom.....
Anonymous Coward User ID: 519044 10/6/2008 6:28 PM
Re: An asteroid (ASTEROID 2008 TC3) is going to hit Earth TONIGHT!
After a collision with a comet, a nearly 8km wide piece of the asteroid "Orpheus" is heading towards Earth. If it will hit it will cause a incredible catastrophe which will probably extinguish mankind. To stop the meteor NASA wants to use the illegal nuclear weapon satellite "Hercules" but discovers soon that it doesn't have enough fire power. Their only chance to save the world is to join forces with the USSR who have also launched such an illegal satellite. But will both governments agree?
I was thinking a gigantic tsunami for Dubai would be appropriate since they have all the money over there now. I guess it is coming in too far south for that.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 518806 10/6/2008 6:29 PM
Re: An asteroid (ASTEROID 2008 TC3) is going to hit Earth TONIGHT!
For the crazies out there: What if this so called object is really a small long distance space craft that has someone or something very special in it. Is this the sign in the sky that we were told to watch for? Often our media releases ideas and plans through movies, tv, and literature. I am sure we all can think of at least one example where what I said could possible come true.
Anonymous Coward User ID: 518806 10/6/2008 6:33 PM
Re: An asteroid (ASTEROID 2008 TC3) is going to hit Earth TONIGHT!
The russians will probably be paranoid that it is a US nuke or a submarine launched nuke and respond!!
Whats the betting that the Defcon level will at least raise up a notch, with the trigger happy raving loonys who havethe access codes.
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the most accurate one I've read yet But I'm only half way through the thread.
