[meteorite-list] New Asteroid Threat Seen (Asteroid 2003 QQ47)

From: Steve Schoner <steve_schoner_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:50 2004
Message-ID: <20030903143437.85514.qmail_at_web12706.mail.yahoo.com>

But you never know. It could happen at any momnent
really. We don't have them all spotted as of yet. I
remember talking about this when I was working at
Lowwell Observatory 30 years ago. And one of the
astronomers said that an asteroid striking the earth
would probably be completely unnoticed before the
strike if it came from our perspective from the
position of the sun. I think he said that in that
case even earth based radar would not pick it up.

I think it is interesting that there are people out
there considering this scenario. At least we are
aware of it, and the potential problem that it could
cause for Mankind.

Strange thing about Man, there seems to be a
premonition sense to our beings. Could such a
disaster happen in our lifetimes? Maybe, but I hope
not. Could it happen to our children or their
children, maybe, but I hope not.

Will it happen in the distant future, or perhpas
nearer to out time?

Yes. Certainly.

And maybe then Mankind will have the means to avert
it, or at least be colonizing other plantets to
prevent the demise of our species.

Steve Schoner.

 
--- tracy latimer <daistiho_at_hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Thank you for the update, Ron. I REALLY want a
> banging-head-against-the-wall smiley for instances
> like this. An
> astronomer(s) find(s) a new asteroid that MAY have
> an orbit that is
> Earth-crossing. Immediately, the press runs amok
> with the data and screams
> "Doomsday!" before waiting for more information.
> Not to mention every
> nutbar who is 'talking with the aliens/spirits/God'
> and channeling their pet
> delusions. For the people who are actually
> searching for real asteroid
> threats, this sort of fearmongering is more
> dangerous than a potential
> impactor, because the public gets desensitized. At
> least MSN got it right
> with the Torino scale, but the rest was
> sensationalism.
>
> Tracy Latimer
>
> >From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>
> >To: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com (Meteorite
> Mailing List)
> >Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] New Asteroid Threat
> Seen (Asteroid 2003 QQ47)
> >Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 15:42:06 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >LINEAR obtained some new observations of the
> asteroid today, which extends
> >the data arc from 6.7 days to 9 days. We've just
> computed a new orbit
> >solution, and
> >2003 QQ47 has dropped to Torino 0. Also, the
> number of potential impacts
> >have been reduced from 31 to 18, and the 2014
> potential impact
> >has been eliminated.
> >
> >http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk
> >
> >Ron Baalke
> >
> >
> >______________________________________________
> >Meteorite-list mailing list
> >Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>
>http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
>
>
_________________________________________________________________
> MSN 8: Get 6 months for $9.95/month.
> http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup
>
>
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
>
http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list


__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com
Received on Wed 03 Sep 2003 10:34:37 AM PDT