Asteroid 2013 TV135 Could Hit Earth In 2032, Says Ukrainan Observatory
Source: IB Times
A team of Ukranian astronomers at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory discovered asteroid 2013 TV135, a 1,345-foot (410 meter) minor planet last week, the nations Ria Novost reports. According to their calculations, 2013 TV135 is currently orbiting the Earth at a distance of 1.7 million kilometers, and its trajectory could place it on a catastrophic collision course with our planet in 2032.
By Thursday, five more groups had confirmed the findings, including observatories in Italy, Spain, the U.K. and Russia. NASA has confirmed the discovery as well, adding 2013 TV135 to its list of recently observed near-Earth objects. The American space agency rated the asteroid a 1 on its Torino scale, meaning that the object represents a threat and "merits careful monitoring."
Its easy to see why NASA deems the asteroid a threat. If 2013 TV135 does hit the Earth in 2032, it would result in an explosion packing the force of 2,500 megatons of TNT. Thats more than 50 times the power of the largest nuclear bomb ever detonated.
The good news is that theres only a 1 in 63,000 chance of 2014 TV135 ever making contact with Earth. So its extremely unlikely that this asteroid will doom us all.
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/asteroid-2013-tv135-could-hit-earth-2032-says-ukrainan-observatory-1431348
JPL view: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-300
Torino scale (this currently rates a 1):
longship
(40,416 posts)It takes more data to determine an accurate actual orbit. Torino scale 1 is worrisome for such a large object. More observations will refine the orbit and will very likely result in the risk being reduced.
One could only hope.
R&K
leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)leftyohiolib
(5,917 posts)Flying Squirrel
(3,041 posts)Pholus
(4,062 posts)There have been many, many "1's" and every single one has been removed by monitoring. One has actually reached a "4" and then been reassigned to a "0" or a "1" depending on which orbit guy you talk to.
The complete description is "A routine discovery in which a pass near Earth is predicted that poses no unusual level of danger. Current calculations show the chance of collision is extremely unlikely with no cause for public attention or public concern. New telescopic observations very likely will lead to re-assignment to Level 0."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torino_Scale
I can't remember the number of times a Russian observatory has predicted doom. Look back to the press around the Chelyabinsk meteor in the first 24 hours. Kinda Fox News level hysteria.
Ian David
(69,059 posts)CherokeeDem
(3,709 posts)the Fox screen is for real??? Didn't know about this when it happened. For crying out loud, Fox has no shame and no clue!
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)CherokeeDem
(3,709 posts)it is almost believable!
Thanks for the info!
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)NickB79
(19,265 posts)1300 ft wide is pretty damn big for something moving at 20,000 mph, but the one that got the dinosaurs was around 6 MILES wide, or roughly 20X the size of this one.
At that size, and with 19 years of advance notice, it wouldn't be all that difficult to divert the rock out of a collision course with modern technology.
greiner3
(5,214 posts)Whether it is an iron (or some other metal based object) or made mostly of ice particles.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)I know scientists have recently retrieved particles from core samples but I didn't hear the results of any testing.
theHandpuppet
(19,964 posts)... who are in the throes of rapture at this news.
onehandle
(51,122 posts)...or see after the fact.
It's the building sized, super-fast and near invisible objects, from outside the solar system that we have to worry about.
hunter
(38,327 posts)The more fossil fuels we burn, the more hostile this earth becomes to our civilization.
It's looking like a pretty sure bet that we will keep burning fossil fuels at high rates until our civilization collapses.
In 2032 this asteroid hitting the earth might not even be the worst news of the year.
onehandle
(51,122 posts)Too many gerbils in an aquarium in the sun, and nature will take its course.
Ghost Dog
(16,881 posts)will surely become inevitable:
1. Produce/Consume less and more efficiently;
2. Manage population levels down, over time, through such liberal methods as recognising women's right to choose;
3. Redeploy the creative as well as destructive energy and inspìration that is a such powerful motor of today's economy - the military-industrial complex - away from attempting to achieve full-spectrum dominance of what is and always will be a multi-polar, multi-cultural planet towards new very relevant goals such as in-depth solar-system exploration and exploitation and defending the biosphere of this planet from the consequences of hits from flying rocks!
leftyladyfrommo
(18,870 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)packman
(16,296 posts)In comparison to the expected government shut-downs and debt ceiling brought about by Republicons in the next few years, it might be a welcome relief.
MzShellG
(1,047 posts)Theyletmeeatcake2
(348 posts)I don't want to leave anything in the fridge!!