Earth might have a close encounter with a huge asteroid this November, that’s according to Space.com [bold emphasis mine]
Mark your calendars for an impressive and upcoming flyby of an asteroid that’s one of the larger potentially perilous space rocks in the heavens – in terms of smacking the Earth in the future.
It’s the case of asteroid 2005 YU55, a round mini-world that is about 1,300 feet (400 meters) in diameter. In early November, this asteroid will approach Earth within a scant 0.85 lunar distances.
Due the object’s size and whisking by so close to Earth, an extensive campaign of radar, visual and infrared observations are being planned.
Asteroid 2005 YU55 was discovered by Spacewatch at the University of Arizona, Tucson’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory on Dec. 28, 2005. En route and headed our way, the cosmic wanderer is another reminder about life here on our sitting duck of a planet
Read the rest here
This article hasn’t been meant to scare anyone, but as Space.com says our planet looks like a sitting duck.
And gloomy environmental stories about climate change seem to pale against the prospects of a wayward asteroid hitting us-the ultimate Black Swan.
No comments:
Post a Comment