Big asteroid buzzes past Earth and will again in 19 years

Discussion in 'Off-Topic' started by truebluefan, Oct 20, 2013.

  1. truebluefan

    truebluefan Administrator Staff Member Administrator

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    One of the most dangerous asteroids on record zipped close by Earth last month.

    It made headlines on Thursday, when reports said that there's a chance it could strike our planet in less than 20 years. Such a collision could unleash a force as powerful as a couple of thousand atomic bombs.

    But NASA was quick to calm nerves and point out some very good news. The most dangerous known asteroids don't really pose much of a threat. And there are very few of them.

    Also, the chances that this one, which the Ukrainian astronomers who discovered it named 2013 TV135, will collide with Earth are extremely slim, NASA said in a statement it called "a reality check."

    The space agency is 99.998% certain that when it whooshes back around the planet in 2032, it will simply sail past us again.

    Read more http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/18/tech/asteroid-near-pass/?sr=google_news
     

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