LONDON (July 24) - A massive asteroid could hit Earth in just 17 years' time, destroying life as we know it, a British space expert said on Wednesday. The asteroid -- the most threatening object ever detected in space -- is 1.2 miles wide and apparently on a direct collision course with Earth. "Objects of this size only hit the Earth every one or two million years," said Dr Benny Peiser, an asteroid expert at Liverpool John Moore's University in northern England. "In the worst case scenario, a disaster of this size would be global in its extent, would create a meltdown of our economic and social life, and would reduce us to dark age conditions," he told Reuters. But Peiser and other space experts say they are pretty confident this nightmare scenario will not come about. "This thing is the highest threat that has been catalogued, but the scale in terms of the threat keeps changing," said Peter Bond, spokesman for the Royal Astronomical Society. "If it did hit the Earth it would cause a continental-size explosion...but it is a fairly remote possibility." The asteroid -- named 2002 NT7 -- was first detected earlier this month by the United States Linear sky survey program. Since then, Peiser said scientists at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) near-Earth objects team and at Pisa University in Italy have carried out orbit calculations to work out the probability and potential date of impact to define the risk it poses. Their calculations show it could hit the earth on February 1, 2019. "The impact probability is below one in a million, but because the first impact date is so early -- only 17 years from now -- and the object is very large, it's been rated on the impact risk Palermo Scale as a positive," Peiser said. "It is the first object which has ever hit a positive rating." Scientists warn, however, that the risk rating has not been reviewed by the International Astronomical Union, which is the main international body responsible for announcing such risks. Peiser said 2002 NT7 would continue to be monitored by space experts across the world, and that over time, these observations would probably erase the threat posed by it. "In all likelihood, in a couple of months additional observations will eliminate this object from the list of potential impacts," he said. "I am very confident that additional observations over time will...show that it is actually not on a collision course with Earth." But he warned that the world should take this as wake-up call and set about preparing for the reality of an asteroid hit in the future. "Sooner or later -- and no one can really tell us which it will be -- we will find an object that is on a collision course. That is as certain as "Amen" in church. And eventually we will have to deflect an object from its collision course," he said. At the moment, he added, scientists fear it could take at least 30 years for the world to be able to devise and set up a mission to deal with such a threat -- a timescale which would be woefully inadequate if the 2019 strike were to happen. (Edited by The Dawg at 2:38 pm on July 24, 2002)
It's common knowledge now about collision course astroids and the collapse of civilization it would cause. But i don't understand why it would take 30 yrs to create a defense system against this. Look at the short period of time it took to create the first Atomic bomb. At least this time they know ahead of time....17 yrs. Last time a large astroid came with in our comfort zone they found out about it AFTER it passed.
Maybe they will send a team of middle-aged drill operaters into space to drill a hole in the center of this meteor, place a bomb in the middle of it, and get back to earth as soon as possible....lol Bruce willis is a good actor.....just chooses the corniest roles.
Who cares. Please reroute this post to the smokers lounge. Science - Reuters Big Asteroid Leaves Scientists Unruffled Wed Jul 24, 3:11 PM ET By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Maybe, just maybe, a large and newly sighted asteroid could hit the Earth -- but probably not, astronomers said Wednesday. "I wouldn't be sweating it," Tim Spahr, astronomer at the Minor Planets Center of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in a telephone interview. "Go win the lottery first."
i heard in 2 years that a dead sun will come extremely close to earth and may hit us.. well i should get more info and facts about it.. i'll try and find it again
In about 3 minutes a giant meteor is going to leave my asses orbit and pollute the air for the next 2 hours. film at 11.
Well if it hit's Earth then there's nothing any of us can do, I just hope when it does I'm not waiting to harvest my crop.lol
chopsticks i hope all of ours is harvested and we can smoke and watch it while its incoming.duck wow that was close.
Damn i new sylent would have an approprate pic!!! You know what the worst thing about this whole collision thing is. All this dark means a real lack of weed!!! When it comes i hope it lands on my house! I dont what to run out of weed!
