The asteroid that missed Earth March 2, 2009

[neilsox]

Reportedly it missed by 72,000 kilometers after being declared low risk 3 days before. Was it really high risk? Was it capable of totaling a large city? Neil

 

[Eaglesindiana459]

Well scientists said that if it was going to hit Earth, by their calculations it would have struck a very low population in Russia or Canada.

 

[stupidlaminatedrock]

Well scientists said that if it was going to hit Earth, by their calculations it would have struck a very low population in Russia or Canada.

Think the after effects not direct impact. The Tunguska event alone changed weather for almost 6 months around the world.

 

[neilsox]

Apparently the damage assumes no atmosphere. According to posts at www.baut.com posts, asteroids this size typically burn up completely in the atmosphere, with little effect on the surface of Earth. Apparently the Tungustian invader was much more massive. Yesterday, 4 asteroids the size of large buildings were within ten times moon distance of Earth. Neil

 

[MeteorWayne]

The one you are referring to was 2009 DD45. It was never even a low risk for impact, since it never showed up on JPL's Sentry impact risk page.

There was actually an even closer one, 2009 EJ1, which passed only 59,800 km from earth on Feb 27th, and wasn't discovered until 4 days later! This one is currently on the risk page with an extremely low impact risk beginning in 2036; however it's so small it would not be a threat to the surface.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Another very small one (2009 EW, 14-31 meters) will pass within 0.9 lunar distance March 6th.

 

[alienatic]

Hello,

This question is inre: to meteorwayne;
What exactly is "JPL's Sentry Impact Risk Page and where is tht located for future reference?
Also, your info on the meteor to pass on the 6th you acquired from where?

I was astronomically elated when I found "proof" tht a meteor just passed us.
I heard the news early on tv....but alas... no one I spoke with heard or knew anything about it. I would like to know if tht meteor/asteroid is/was being tracked and
where did it go?

Thanks to you and to all.. StaySafe/StayStrong/Smile... "alienatic"

 

[MeteorWayne]

Hello,

This question is inre: to meteorwayne;
What exactly is "JPL's Sentry Impact Risk Page and where is tht located for future reference?
Also, your info on the meteor to pass on the 6th you acquired from where?

I was astronomically elated when I found "proof" tht a meteor just passed us.
I heard the news early on tv....but alas... no one I spoke with heard or knew anything about it. I would like to know if tht meteor/asteroid is/was being tracked and
where did it go?

Thanks to you and to all.. StaySafe/StayStrong/Smile... "alienatic"

Hi,
Here is the JPL Risk page:
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/

There's a tab at the top called "Close Approaches"
This lists all known objects that have recently or will soon pass "close" to the earth. I use close in quotes because some are quite distant, up to about 30 million km (a8 million miles)

If you click on an object, it brings you to a detailed description for that object; for the real close ones, there's a link at the bottom called "Close Approach Data" which gives detailed info about the close approach. I just converted the Close Approach distance (which is given in AU-Astronomical Units-The average distance of the earth from the sun) to kilometers and miles so people could get a better handle on the actual distance.

Wayne

 

[alienatic]

Wayne,

ThankUmuch for tht info. Will ck it out. Have a grand/safe day!

alienatic

 

[xXTheOneRavenXx]

Looks like 2009 CQ1 will be within 0.135 AU at it's closest point to earth on Apr 21 2009. Now that's pretty damn close if you ask me, given the size is 220-490m.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Looks like 2009 CQ1 will be within 0.135 AU at it's closest point to earth on Apr 21 2009. Now that's pretty damn close if you ask me, given the size is 220-490m.

You're kidding, right? That's over 50 times further away than the moon!
There are at least 10 objects in the same size range that will come closer before that Apr 21 encounter. Too many to list.
What made you pick that one out?

 

[xXTheOneRavenXx]

I expected you to jump on that one my sky watching friend

In the relative distant these objects are Meteor, predictions are made on if these object will actually hit us or not. But even at this range could their trajectory be altered by the Earth's gravitation which could either cause them to hit us on their next approach, or even this one? This objects orbit only carries it half way between Mars and Jupiter unlike others to which their obits carry them out much farther. A change in their trajectory would be more noticeable over a shorter period of time. I know there are other objects that come within a closer range, and which do have tighter orbits, and that's the scary part.

 

[MeteorWayne]

I expected you to jump on that one my sky watching friend

In the relative distant these objects are Meteor, predictions are made on if these object will actually hit us or not. But even at this range could their trajectory be altered by the Earth's gravitation which could either cause them to hit us on their next approach, or even this one? This objects orbit only carries it half way between Mars and Jupiter unlike others to which their obits carry them out much farther. A change in their trajectory would be more noticeable over a shorter period of time. I know there are other objects that come within a closer range, and which do have tighter orbits, and that's the scary part.

Again, I don't understand why you picked the particular object. It is very far away from earth, and even taking into account future gravitational perterbations is no threat whatsoever to Earth. I am truly puzzzled.

The perterbations I think you are referring to are taken into account in the impact risk threat pages. This object has 0.00000000000000% chance of impacting earth in the next century. So I am baffled as to why you picked it out.


There are dozens of objects (many in this size range) that have greater than 0% chance of impacting Earth. I have no clue why you picked out a 0 % object to bring up as a subject of discussion. I can only assume you don't understand the close approach (which is not even close for this object) vs impact risk probabilities.

MW

 

[xXTheOneRavenXx]

No not really. (being honest) I'm more of a star & planet watcher rather then into the actual physics at work in regards to the distance vs affects gravity plays on these objects. I think it'll be many years before ALL objects either in close proximity to earth or approaching will be mapped & tracked. I just thought I would participate somehow in more topics. But didn't mean to make myself look like an idiot, lol.

 

[MeteorWayne]

OK, NP

I have a thread here that I post about close approaches within about 2 lunar distances (That's close! ) which I update when any pop up. In fact, I need to check it to update to see if any of them have been removed from the impact threat list. A little busy today...hot water heater is flakey, which I can live with for a while, but the other half of the household gets a little freaked out.

 

[xXTheOneRavenXx]

lol, ya you might want to get the heater looked at before the close approaches. Which one will shorten your lifespan faster, lol. I still need to find an EQ 6 Equilateral mount for my 10" F5 telescope ($1500.00Can), plus $200.00 per each of the two custom rings I need. My wife would kill me if I spent that kind of money right now. Not to mention the set of Super Plossol's I want

 

[michaelmozina]

OK, NP

I have a thread here that I post about close approaches within about 2 lunar distances (That's close! ) which I update when any pop up. In fact, I need to check it to update to see if any of them have been removed from the impact threat list. A little busy today...hot water heater is flakey, which I can live with for a while, but the other half of the household gets a little freaked out.

In my house, when the other half gets freaked out, that usually means that I am about to spend money.

 

[MeteorWayne]

In my house, when the other half gets freaked out, that usually means that I am about to spend money.

Hey it's only about $10 K (We are replacing the heating plant at the same time)

 

[xXTheOneRavenXx]

Dang, that's way less then my telescope as a whole.... well to build at least. It would have cost approx $6k bought, but yet only $1k for the mirror by Arnold Optics (best optics maker in Canada), and all the treatments and coating to the Sono tube (Cardboard tubing for concrete) only cost about $300. The diagonal mirror was approx $200, but I was disappointed with the plastic mount for the mirror. They changed it from metal, but yet kept the same cost... go figure, lol. The primary mirror mount cost about $80.00, so I can't complain. Saved about $4420.00Can building it myself (minus the tripod which will cost about $1500.00 & rings total $400.00) so that's still a savings of $2420.00 Not to mention when I do buy it, the mount will be way better then the one that comes with the bought version.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Sounds nice. I'm a meteor guy myself, so don't use my scopes much. I have two; an old beat up still functional Astroscan 2001 from the early 80's (It went camping many times with me) and a 10" Dob. I also have access to another half dozen at the NJAA, including the largest publicly accessable scope in NJ, a 4 1/2 ton 26" behemoth:

http://www.njaa.org/observatory.html#null

 

[xXTheOneRavenXx]

Nice observatory. Wish I could get my hands on that for a few hours, lol. Think they'll let me test drive the one in Chili, lol.