Peer Review Committee decided for Next Close Approach of an Asteroid At a very private meeting of 15 of the top astronomers engaged in NEO research at the IAU and NASA/JPL a method was decided for a future method for announcing asteroids which close approachs may come dangerously close to the Earth. A peer review committee which has yet to be decided on who and number of members, will sit down for a few days to evaluate the potential hazard of the asteroid and the announcement then will come from the committee with a proposed solution should any exist. To be honest with you it really is hard to determine if these 15 astronomers speak for the entire world of astronomers in this matter or a "Peer Review Committee" needs additional discussion and details to be worked out on an international conference. Only time will tell if an international agreement can be made with all scientist in agreement as to the authority of this committee. The jerky start and stop nature of the scientific process must be put aside in this instant for the purpose of getting the most "pure" and "correct" data out to the public media so the public does not panic and the scientist do not appear foolish. This agreement made in Houston, Texas at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference has a very good and worth intention and the scientist who made the agreement are all honorable persons. The IAU scientist were headed by Dr. Brian Marsden, 40 years in the study of NEO's and the senior scientist at the MPC and NASA also had a group of renounced scientist headed I suppose by senior scientist Don Yeomans with JPL's top NEAT astronomer Eleanor (Glo) Helin acting as a mediator. I fear this may be is another example of hindsight being 20/20. You know what they say about good and worth intentions and the road to destruction being paved by them (good intentions). Personally I doubt this process of peer review will get another chance to be tested for another case of such a close approach in any of their lifetimes. Astronomical bodies tend to move on a rather large time scale as compared to people.Victor D. Noto ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Victor Noto - Kissimmee, Florida USA vnn2@phoenixat.com http://www.phoenixat.com/~vnn2/BIGROCK.htm Website theme quote: "Life really is a Rock and the Big Rock giveth and taketh away all life!!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- Victor Noto - Kissimmee, Florida USA vnn2@phoenixat.com http://www.phoenixat.com/~vnn2/BIGROCK.htm Website theme quote: "Life really is a Rock and the Big Rock giveth and taketh away all life!!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------