Space Rocks!

[DrLeftover]

17 Feb 2014

A ‘potentially hazardous’ asteroid which is three times the size of a football pitch and travelling at 27,000 miles an hour will pass close to Earth on Monday night.

Although the speeding chunk of rock – named 2000 EM26 – will be 1.6 million miles away it still represents a close shave for our planet in astronomical terms.

It will be tracked by the online Slooh Space Camera which monitors asteroids but scientists say it poses no threat to Earth.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/10644805/Asteroid-to-hurtle-past-the-Earth-at-27000-mph.html

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

As long as they don't smash into us.

 

[Evil Eye]

But what would happen if they did find one heading straight for us?

As long as they don't smash into us.

A toast!

 

[DrLeftover]

4 March
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - An asteroid is headed this way. But even though it will come closer than the moon, astronomers say it will pose no danger.

The newly discovered asteroid, called 2014 DX110, will hurtle between the moon and Earth on Wednesday. DX110 will pass an estimated 217,000 miles from Earth.

That's approximately nine-tenths of the distance between the moon and Earth.

The asteroid is an estimated 45 to 130 feet across.

Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/24884193/asteroid-passing-earth-will-be-closer-than-moon#ixzz2v2zzfb7a

 

[DrLeftover]

We've all seen the films where an asteroid hurtles towards our planet, threatening civilisation.

What's less well known is that menacing space rocks sometimes come in twos.

Researchers have outlined some of the best evidence yet for a double space impact, where an asteroid and its moon apparently struck Earth in tandem.

Using tiny, plankton-like fossils, they established that neighbouring craters in Sweden are the same age - 458 million years old.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26172181

 

[DrLeftover]

Meteorite leaves crater in Nicaraguan capital Managua

8 September 2014

A small meteorite landed near the international airport in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, on Saturday night, government officials say.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang and feeling the impact, which left a crater 12m (40ft) wide and 5m deep.

Government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said the meteorite seemed to have broken off an asteroid which was passing close to Earth.

She said international experts had been called in to investigate further.

No-one was hurt when it hit the wooded area near the international airport and an air force base.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29106843