[quote=Sky News]
An asteroid bigger than an aircraft carrier will brush past the Earth within the next few hours.
The 400-metre (437-yard) wide asteroid, called 2005 YU55, will speed past the planet at a distance of 201,700 miles - closer than the moon.
But Marina Brozovic of Nasa said there is no cause for alarm.
"It is not going to hit us," she said.
"We have a good idea of its orbit for the next 100 years and the is no chance of impact."
The asteroid was discovered in April 2010, when observations with the Arecibo radar telescope revealed a fuzzy image of the rock tumbling through space.
Nasa is hoping to take much higher resolution photographs of its dark surface as it passes by at 23.28 GMT time on November 8.
Amateur astronomers will need a six-inch telescope to stand a chance of seeing the asteroid, but have been warned that it is moving so fast that it will be difficult to track.
Nasa has set up a near earth object programme known as Spaceguard to locate the estimated 1,000 asteroids and comets larger than 1km (1,093 yards) in diameter - large enough to cause mass extinction of most life on Earth.[/quote]
[url]http://news.sky.com/home/technology/article/16105605[/url]
Watch, the one asteroid we think isn't going to hit us is going to plow into us head-on :v:
-snip-
[QUOTE=spree;33179951]If it really does, it won't be catastrophic, hopefully :v: then again it depends where it crashes.[/QUOTE]
It's the size of a fucking aircraft carrier going god knows how many thousands of miles an hour. No matter where it hits, if it did, it would be catastrophic.
-snip-
[QUOTE=spree;33180231]If it hits the sea, then really it won't be catastrophic. Crashing into a city however is definitely catastrophic.[/QUOTE]Giant waves would hit multiple cities then?
-snip-
please aim for africa
[QUOTE=Shiftyze;33180245]Giant waves would hit multiple cities then?[/QUOTE]
Wait shit, you're right, didin't think of that one. I guess we're fucked :v:
Seriously, Spree? Only if it hits giant cities?
Let's see what'd happen.
Hits open land: Throws huge amounts of dust and debris into atmosphere, potentially causing at least a partial 'nuclear winter' in the surrounding area. This area could be as large as a continent. Plant life in this area will die off and unless outside help is rendered the area will be rendered inhospitable from the cold and lack of food. Forest fires will also be ignited on such a large scale that they cannot be contained, and will rage out of control, further fueling the nuclear winter by adding smoke, soot, ash, and more dust into the atmosphere.
Hits dense city: Same as above, except with more immediate loss of human life and infrastructure. Could potentially cause meltdown of nuclear power plant if the city operates one, which would further increase the effects of the ensuing nuclear winter.
Hits ocean: Will not cause any nuclear winter, but the impact and subsequent effect on the water will cause widespread, massive tsunamis that could travel for tens if not hundreds of miles inland.
[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;33180257]please aim for africa[/QUOTE]What's wrong with you?
[QUOTE=Shiftyze;33180349]What's wrong with you?[/QUOTE]
I think he meant that as in Africa being the place where it could do the least damage (if it strikes us of course).
[QUOTE=spree;33179951]If it really does, it won't be catastrophic, hopefully :v: then again it depends where it crashes.[/QUOTE]
I think it'd be rather devastating if a 400 meter stone hit your house at ~20000 kph.
Let's be optimistic and assume the asteroid is pretty much rock, no iron or other metals in there, the density would be around 2500 kg/m^3 (that's the density of concrete).
Then let's again be optimistic and assume the asteroid is a nice sphere. At 400 meters diameter, that would result in a volume of 3.351×10^7 m^3.
As a result of [B]that[/B], we have an object at 8.378×10^10 kg.
THAT object traveling at 20000 kph would carry an energy of 1.3 × 10^18 J
[B]IN PERSPECTIVE[/B], that's the same energy as 367 000 000 000 busses at 10000 kg traveling 100 kph hitting you in the face.
Just remember this Spree. If it hit the lower Mediterranean Sea you and me would undoubtedly die.
[QUOTE=Within;33180376]*calculations*[/QUOTE]
Compare those to explosives or nuclear bombs. Heavy buses are a bad comparison.
[QUOTE=Within;33180376]I think it'd be rather devastating if a 400 meter stone hit your house at ~20000 kph.
Let's be optimistic and assume the asteroid is pretty much rock, no iron or other metals in there, the density would be around 2500 kg/m^3 (that's the density of concrete).
Then let's again be optimistic and assume the asteroid is a nice sphere. At 400 meters diameter, that would result in a volume of 3.351×10^7 m^3.
As a result of [B]that[/B], we have an object at 8.378×10^10 kg.
THAT object traveling at 20000 kph would carry an energy of 1.3 × 10^18 J
[B]IN PERSPECTIVE[/B], that's the same energy as 367 000 000 000 busses at 10000 kg traveling 100 kph hitting you in the face.[/QUOTE]
or about 6 of these: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsar_Bomba[/url] at about 50 megatons each being 210 peta joule worth of energy detonated at the same time
[QUOTE=Shiftyze;33180349]What's wrong with you?[/QUOTE]
guess he [i]really[/i] doesn't like blacks
i read on gadlikeproductions its the devil going to attack is thits truse? it mightf hit because of reptile?
[QUOTE=Ven Kaeo;33180322]Seriously, Spree? Only if it hits giant cities?
Let's see what'd happen.
Hits open land: Throws huge amounts of dust and debris into atmosphere, potentially causing at least a partial 'nuclear winter' in the surrounding area. This area could be as large as a continent. Plant life in this area will die off and unless outside help is rendered the area will be rendered inhospitable from the cold and lack of food. Forest fires will also be ignited on such a large scale that they cannot be contained, and will rage out of control, further fueling the nuclear winter by adding smoke, soot, ash, and more dust into the atmosphere.
Hits dense city: Same as above, except with more immediate loss of human life and infrastructure. Could potentially cause meltdown of nuclear power plant if the city operates one, which would further increase the effects of the ensuing nuclear winter.
Hits ocean: Will not cause any nuclear winter, but the impact and subsequent effect on the water will cause widespread, massive tsunamis that could travel for tens if not hundreds of miles inland.[/QUOTE]
Yeah you're right, my mistake. According to NASA, there is 'no cause for alarm', so I guess we are safe.
[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;33180372]I think he meant that as in Africa being the place where it could do the least damage (if it strikes us of course).[/QUOTE]
Do you know how much dust is in africa
Shooting stars tonight
[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;33180257]please aim for africa[/QUOTE]
Oh my fucking god, why did this make me laugh so hard. so random ecksdee
My prediction:
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/53vcll.jpg[/IMG]
What if it hits the antarctic? Are we fucked then?
[QUOTE=Mmrnmhrm;33180829]What if it hits the antarctic? Are we fucked then?[/QUOTE]
I would say that a fuck ton of polar ice in the atmosphere, coupled with the (possible) vast amounts of methane beneath it would fuck us up pretty good.
[editline]8th November 2011[/editline]
Source:
[url]http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/antarctic-methane-lakes/[/url]
[QUOTE=Corey_Faure;33180814]My prediction:
[IMG]http://i39.tinypic.com/53vcll.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
objects at a lower altitude have to orbit faster to maintain stable orbit
[editline]8th November 2011[/editline]
apart from that minor factual error this is the most likely sequence of events
[QUOTE=mechanarchy;33180976]objects at a lower altitude have to orbit faster to maintain stable orbit[/QUOTE]
It was a half assed gif. Obviously to overcome the gravity it would have to orbit faster as you said, but the goal was just to get the asteroid going around Mr. Earth.
I would love a second moon.
But what if it hits the moon?
[editline]lol[/editline]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCZgtQu6VLs[/media]
[editline]lol[/editline]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DbAs203r3Y[/media]
Huh.
EDIT: Is it sad that I have the urge to ask how this would affect werewolves?
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