Take 5 min. brake and check braking news - TU24 asteroid

[Redcard]

Actually, it's still a minor risk. They took it off the risk list before they'd ever completed calculations. From what I've just read from other sources, they think it may be within the moon's orbit of earth. The major threat is not an impact, but a massive plasma discharge that would alter the earth's magnetosphere and essentially result in a whole lot of "uh oh..."

"Uh oh" being an increased likelihood of natural disasters, especially earthquakes of great magnitude as well as unusual weather before the meteor reaches the earth. The magnetosphere reaches about 65,000 km from earth.

So it is a threat, just not a threat of direct-impact.

Uh, they've been doing calculations on this from when they first observed it in October of last year through November. It was removed after it was calculated to be not a risk.

That's a problem you have when you have low numbers of calculations.. the orbit paths can get very weird. Once they got enough to specialize the path, they determined it's not close enough to warrant staying on the list.

 

[Madcat455]

HEY.... It's happening on the FL primaries!!!! Maybe this is a scare tactic devised by Ghouliany to try to get his opponents voters to stay indoors and not vote... and his supporters (who are all in on the secret) will be the only ones voting... Hmmm... Conspiracy.... My tin foil hat will protect me from the Evil rays of the Ghouls TU24 primary weapon.

 

[nascar]

http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/goldstone_asteroid_schedule.html

Goldstone Asteroid Schedule

Upcoming Goldstone Observations

Last update: 2008 January 15
http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroids/goldstone_asteroid_schedule.html

Needs
Needs Physical
Target Astrometry? Observations?
2008 Jan 23 2007 TU24 Yes Yes Scheduled. Extremely strong target. Also scheduled at Arecibo.
2008 Feb (4450) Pan No Yes Also scheduled at Arecibo. Very strong target.
2008 Feb (153591) 2001 SN263 Yes Yes Also scheduled at Arecibo.
2008 Feb 2002 TD66 Yes Yes Also scheduled at Arecibo.
2008 Apr 2005 NB7 Yes Yes Also requested at Arecibo.
2008 Jul (90403) 2003 YE45 No Yes Also requested at Arecibo. Very strong target.
2008 Jul 2005 RC34 Yes Yes Astrometry needed in June-July, 2008. Also requested at Arecibo.
2008 Aug (35107) 1991 VH No Yes BINARY. Also requested at Arecibo.
2008 Sep 2000 DP107 Yes Yes BINARY. Also requested at Arecibo.

 

[Psych0t]

Aliens stole my tin foil hat to power their space ships!! AHHHHH

 

[Redcard]

You realize, Nascar, that "Extremely strong target" in astronomy terms has always meant that it'll be easy to view, right?

 

[nascar]

Very possible, I'm just checking where is going. Just in case.