Monday, August 22, 2005
This Day:

For the first time in history, scientists will be able to observe how the Earth's gravity will disrupt a massive asteroid's spin:). Scientists (Daniel Scheeres and colleagues) at University of Michigan predict a near-miss when Asteroid 99942 Apophis passes Earth in 2029. An asteroid flies this close to the planet only once every 1,300 years. The chance to study it will help scientists deal with the object should it threaten collision with Earth.

Close Encounter of the rocky kind (Courtesy: Wikipedia)
Only about three Earth diameters will separate Apophis and Earth when the 400-meter asteroid hurtles by Earth's gravity, which will twist the object into a complex wobbling rotation. Such an occurrence has never been witnessed but could yield important clues to the interior of the sphere:D.
Apophis is one of more than 600 known potentially hazardous asteroids and one of several that scientists hope to study more closely. In Apophis' case, additional measurements are necessary because the 2029 flyby could be followed by frequent close approaches thereafter, or even a collision:-SS. If NASA places measuring equipment on the asteroid's surface, scientists could for the first time study an asteroid's interior, similar to how geologists study earthquakes to gain understanding of the Earth's core:):).
The asteroid is relatively small, about the length of three football fields. If it hit it wouldn't create wide-scale damage to the Earth, but would cause major damage at the impact site. But readers need not worry, the chance that it might hit is 1 in 300:):).

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11 Comments:

At August 25, 2005 11:15 PM, Blogger Unknown said...
1 in 300 is still big!
 
At August 25, 2005 11:22 PM, Blogger Sray said...
Yaa compared to other asteroids, it is! It is in another 24 years, hopefully we will all be alive then:).
 
At August 26, 2005 2:27 AM, Blogger Unknown said...
DAmn! Why do such things take so long to happen? I wanna be a part of a big event(planetary/cosmological) now! But there aint any that i can be a part of!
 
At August 26, 2005 7:26 AM, Blogger Wayne Smallman said...
Sure by placing devices on it they stand to alter the course of the asteroid?
 
At August 26, 2005 5:14 PM, Blogger Sray said...
It is theoretically possible to alter the course of an asteroid by a) nudging it, b) exploding something on it, or/and c) exploding something nearby so that the shock pushes it away. But in practice, there might be several problems: a) the asteroid might break up, b) it might be too diffuse/broken already (a collection of loose rocks) which can easily absorb a shock impact, or/and c) the effects might cancel each other.
 
At August 26, 2005 5:15 PM, Blogger Sray said...
Sudhir: we will soon have some really cool telescopes (by 2011) which will be 10 times more powerful than the Hubble. Enough to keep us busy for a while I hope:).
 
At September 03, 2005 4:14 PM, Blogger abnegator said...
What does 1 in 300 mean? Either it hits the earth or it does not. There are just two outcomes for this event and hence the probability would be 0.5! There are no 300 outcomes for this? Or do u mean to say that there could be 300 loci of its motion and 1 of them has the earth on it? The space scientists need be more precise with the figures. By the way, with several Himalayan glaciers declare critical..it would be sheer luck if most parts of India, China and nearby countries remain...and its gonna have global effects as well..since I heard abt it..the scenes from the movie Day after Tomorrow are flashing in my mind all the time...God and mother nature help us!
 
At September 03, 2005 4:17 PM, Blogger abnegator said...
Sray said - "...exploding something nearby so that the shock pushes it away...." - i dont think these shocks would travel in vacuum/space. they need a medium. EM Waves dont need a medium.
 
At September 03, 2005 4:34 PM, Blogger Sray said...
Luke: Do drop us a postcard from time to time, will ya? :D.

Abnegator: A lot of the data is imprecise. We dont know the exact mass of the asteroid, or the way it will start oozing gases as it gets closer to the Sun. All that will affect its orbit, so the scientists can only give a probability.

Abt. the shock, once exploded, the gases that will be released will push the asteroid a little bit. Also, there might be embedded projectiles in the bomb that can impact the asteroid and push it. Also the heat generated can evaporate some surface ice, which can help push the asteroid.
 
At September 07, 2005 9:42 AM, Blogger wise donkey said...
:)
hmmm 1 in 300 still not comforting enough for me :(
 
At October 20, 2011 10:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...
Military pilot who had sex with an 11 year old boy when he was 17!!!
A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL WHO HAD SEX WITH AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT!!! He needs to be on a sexual preditor list.
And how long did he masterbate and think about having sex with boys? In boot camp? Into his flight training?
In addition, he is aroused by she-males. His wife looks like somebody special. It's kind of like Mr. Slave::He has a "signature" look of a S&M masochist. Similarly, his wife has a "signature" look.
 

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