Nasa tracks cataclysmic asteroid

[UM-Bot]

Image credit: NASA

Mark your calendar for Sunday, April 13, 2036. That's when a 1,000-foot-wide asteroid named Apophis could hit the Earth with enough force to obliterate a small state.The odds of a collision are 1-in-6,250. But while that's a long shot at the racetrack, the stakes are too high for astronomers to ignore.

For now, Apophis represents the most imminent threat from the worst type of natural disaster known, one reason NASA is spending millions to detect the threat from this and other asteroids.

View: Full Article | Source: Bradenton Herald

[Mr Black]

Better send Bruce willis and his trustie crew of oil diggers!!

[GreyWeather]

Better send Bruce willis and his trustie crew of oil diggers!!

xD least they should do a better job than last time

[Since804]

...this is gonna suck

[Ichigo]

There is still time left

[SureFire]

2036 yikes, I'll be turning 53, ouch. I had planned on living a little longer than that...

[Freak'O'Nature]

There are 2 things that I'm thinking of.

1. We'll probably going to live on the moon by then.

2. The moon would be in the way. But hat would be verrry unlikely.

And besides, at least it's not big enough to destory the entire planet.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

There are 2 things that I'm thinking of.

1. We'll probably going to live on the moon by then.

2. The moon would be in the way. But hat would be verrry unlikely.

And besides, at least it's not big enough to destory the entire planet.

It is highly unlikely that there will be a large population on the moon by 2036.

It might not be big enough to destroy the planet but it is big enough to be the biggest disaster (excluding pandemics) in human history. If it were to hit a densly populated part of the world it would kill millions or tens of millions.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

The orbit of Apophis has been refined as a result of redar measurements. The chances of a collision in 2036 now stand at 1 in 24,000, and this is expected to improve with further measurements.

Source: MSNBC

[SureFire]

Let's just hope the percentages continue to over time, a massive collision is the last thing the world needs at this point in time.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Let's just hope the percentages continue to over time, a massive collision is the last thing the world needs at this point in time.

I don't think it needs a massive collision at any time. One day one of these things will be on a collision course with the Earth. We should be learning all we can about asteroids and comets and developing the technology to deflect them.

[Raptor]

2. The moon would be in the way. But hat would be verrry unlikely.

And besides, at least it's not big enough to destory the entire planet.

Considering the relative size and distance of the moon, like you said, very unlikely.

1 in 24,000- Not great odds.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

1 in 24,000- Not great odds.

A lot better than 1 in 6250. It is likely to get better as the orbit is further refined with more observations.

[ROGER]

Not to worry! The U.S.A. has Secret Weapons of Mass Destruction and with the Reversed Alien Technology will save the World and Mankind as we Know it!

Or not as the case may be. By 2036 I intend to be nothing but a pleasant memory in any case!

[frogfish]

Most likely the asteroid will miss...

[hez]

I don't think it needs a massive collision at any time. One day one of these things will be on a collision course with the Earth. We should be learning all we can about asteroids and comets and developing the technology to deflect them.

Agreed, its not a question of if something is going to hit, its a question of when.

[Roj47]

I see the angle this is coming from, but the report mentions that Earth is hit every 1000 years by an object this size.

We have pretty good records from 1000ad onwards, so where is the evidence that this has happened every thousand years?

Not saying it hasn't, but would like direction to check the claim out.

Any ideas?

[Me_Again]

Dang, that thing could ruin my birthday (April 13th), now how did they pick THAT date ?

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I see the angle this is coming from, but the report mentions that Earth is hit every 1000 years by an object this size.

We have pretty good records from 1000ad onwards, so where is the evidence that this has happened every thousand years?

Not saying it hasn't, but would like direction to check the claim out.

Any ideas?

Firstly this figure is a statistical average. Earth could go five thousand years without such an impact and then have 5 in a decade, so there is no guarantee that an object this size has hit the Earth since 1000 AD.

Secondly planet Earth is just over 70% ocean, so on average only 3 such objects will hit land in a 10,000 year period.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Dang, that thing could ruin my birthday (April 13th), now how did they pick THAT date ?

No one picked that date, the asteroid picked that date.

I shouldn't worry too much about your birthday, the chances of Apophis hitting the Earth now stand at only 1:38,000

Source: NASA/JPL - NEO Project- Apophis