Near-Earth Asteroid Makes Record-breaking Approach to Earth

[Anonymous]

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news142.html
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Recently Discovered Near-Earth Asteroid Makes Record-breaking Approach to Earth

Asteroid 2004 FH passes about 43,000 km (26,500 miles) above the Earth´s surface on March 18, 2004. Earth´s gravity bends the trajectory of the asteroid by about 15 degrees. The asteroid crosses from one side of the Moon´s orbit to the other in 31 hours.
Steven R. Chesley
Paul W. Chodas
NASA´s Near Earth Object Program Office
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
A small near-Earth asteroid (NEA), discovered Monday night by the NASA-funded LINEAR asteroid survey, will make the closest approach to Earth ever recorded. There is no danger of a collision with the Earth during this encounter.

The object, designated 2004 FH, is roughly 30 meters (100 feet) in diameter and will pass just 43,000 km (26,500 miles, or about 3.4 Earth diameters) above the Earth´s surface on March 18th at 5:08 PM EST (2:08 PM PST, 22:08 UTC). (Close approach details here).

On average, objects about the size of 2004 FH pass within this distance roughly once every two years, but most of these small objects pass by undetected. This particular close approach is unusual only in the sense that scientists know about it. The fact that an object as small as asteroid 2004 FH has been discovered now is mostly a matter of perseverance by the LINEAR team, who are funded by NASA to search for larger kilometer-sized NEAs, but also routinely detect much smaller objects.

Asteroid 2004 FH´s point of closest approach with the Earth will be over the South Atlantic Ocean. Using a good pair of binoculars, the object will be bright enough to be seen during this close approach from areas of Europe, Asia and most of the Southern Hemisphere.

Scientists look forward to the flyby as it will provide them an unprecedented opportunity to study a small NEA asteroid up close.

The orbit of asteroid 2004 FH (shown in blue) is almost entirely within the Earth orbit. The locations of the asteroid and Earth are indistinguishable at this scale.

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news142.html

[CaptinCrunch]

One of these days we will be hit buy a small asteriod and it make people think about all that money we DONT spend on NASA or other groups that follow these things to get a better idea on what to do in case a large asteriod comes our way.

[azsnowman]

Didn't you see the movie Meteor with Sean Connery the other day on USA.....we, along with the Russians have nukes in space to take care of such things geeeesh! "LOL!" Sorry, I know this is a serious matter, we COULD get pounded ONE of these days, then I won't have to stop by Meteor Crater near Winslow every time I pass by!

Dennis

[Stormsfury]

The problem is all the "OTHER ONES" that haven't been detected yet ... scientists estimate that for every one that is found, there are hundreds of them (mostly very small asteroids) that are completely undetected ...

SF

[Aslkahuna]

to know that the object is out there and precisely where it is. In the movie they only break it up which is no good either if you don't deviate the trajectory. Note that one of these objects passes close by every two years on average-most of them undetected. This one was discovered only 3 days ago. An object this size would be capable of destroying Los Angeles with either an airburst or ground impact the likelihood of which would depend upon the composition. In 1972, we had a very close call when a similar object actually passed close enough to pass through parts of the atmosphere to become visible in broad daylight on a track from UT into Alberta-it then went back out into Space.

Steve