Scientists say there is a one-in-75 chance a significant asteroid could crash into Mars on January 30, reports AFP:
An asteroid hurtling towards Mars has a one in 75 chance of chance of scoring a direct hit on the red planet next month, NASA experts said in a statement Friday.The US space agency's Near Earth Object Program (NEOP) revealed that the asteroid's exact course was difficult to predict, but said it could slam into Mars on January 30, leaving a crater measuring an estimated 1 kilometer across.
If the asteroid, which has been named 2007 WD5, missed Mars as expected it could return to swing past Earth years or decades later, but there was no indication of a threat to the planet, scientists said.
A collision with Mars would be likely to send an enormous dust cloud into the planet's atmosphere.
The exact path of the asteroid, which was discovered in November by the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson, Arizona, was becoming increasingly difficult to observe because it was receding from the Earth, scientists said.
The asteroid, believed to measure around 50 meters (160 feet) across, had already passed within 7.5 million kilometers (5 million miles) of Earth in early November.
Read the rest at the link above. If it hits, there is a good chance our orbiter and at least one of the rovers may have a ringside seat.
Thanks to reader nogo postal for pointing out this story.
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Filed under:
Science, Space
Tags: astronomy, catastrophe, science, space
Comments (16)
Thanks to reader nogo po... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Peter F. | December 23, 2007 3:31 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Thanks to reader nogo postal for pointing out this story.
Un-shocking update line of the year.
I'm sure his tinfoil hate picked up the asteroid....
1. Posted by Peter F. | December 23, 2007 3:31 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 03:31
2. Posted by Peter F. | December 23, 2007 3:32 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
hate...hat....
whatever...
2. Posted by Peter F. | December 23, 2007 3:32 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 03:32
3. Posted by The Listkeeper | December 23, 2007 4:09 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
If Bush had paid more attention to Global Warming, this wouldn't be happening!
3. Posted by The Listkeeper | December 23, 2007 4:09 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 04:09
4. Posted by McGehee
| December 23, 2007 9:28 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Asteroid? Or giant, interplanetary SUV!!!???
4. Posted by McGehee
| December 23, 2007 9:28 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 09:28
5. Posted by John F Not Kerry | December 23, 2007 9:53 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Won't this screw up some horoscopes?
5. Posted by John F Not Kerry | December 23, 2007 9:53 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 09:53
6. Posted by Mark L | December 23, 2007 9:56 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Won't this screw up some horoscopes?"
Not nearly as badly as it screws up what the asteroid lands on. . .
6. Posted by Mark L | December 23, 2007 9:56 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 09:56
7. Posted by LaMedusa | December 23, 2007 1:50 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Now if the asteroid turned out to be that Divine Escape Pod that could rescue us from climate change, I'd be really alarmed at missing this chance by a few decades. I would make the trip to Griffith Observatory just to see it not happen.
7. Posted by LaMedusa | December 23, 2007 1:50 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 13:50
8. Posted by ijosha | December 23, 2007 2:23 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Where's Marshall Herff Applewhite when you really need him?
8. Posted by ijosha | December 23, 2007 2:23 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 14:23
9. Posted by marc | December 23, 2007 2:38 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Damn!
Here comes another Gov bailout for people whose homes are damaged by natural disasters!
Kucinich, Sheehan, Paul and the rest... WHY!
9. Posted by marc | December 23, 2007 2:38 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 14:38
10. Posted by jim | December 23, 2007 2:45 PM | Score: -3 (5 votes cast)
Maybe Bush can pretend it away.
10. Posted by jim | December 23, 2007 2:45 PM |
Score: -3 (5 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 14:45
11. Posted by JLawson | December 23, 2007 3:11 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Maybe DU and Kos can blame it on Bush.
Because things, like, just never happen...
11. Posted by JLawson | December 23, 2007 3:11 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 15:11
12. Posted by John F Not Kerry | December 23, 2007 3:22 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I question the timing.
12. Posted by John F Not Kerry | December 23, 2007 3:22 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 15:22
13. Posted by jpm100 | December 23, 2007 5:32 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Its Bushes Asteroid control machine, the Katrina Mark II. This is just target practice.
13. Posted by jpm100 | December 23, 2007 5:32 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on December 23, 2007 17:32
14. Posted by spurwing plover | December 24, 2007 10:17 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Why dont MARVIN THE MARTIAN and K-9 use their ELUDIUM Q-36 EXPLOSIVE SPACE MODULATOR and BLOW UP THE ASTROID
14. Posted by spurwing plover | December 24, 2007 10:17 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 24, 2007 10:17
15. Posted by DJ Drummond | December 24, 2007 3:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
[ after the asteroid smashes into Mars ]
"That was a warning. Leave now, or we shall taunt you a second time, you silly English Knnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnniggits!"
15. Posted by DJ Drummond | December 24, 2007 3:28 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 24, 2007 15:28
16. Posted by DocRoch | December 24, 2007 6:42 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Women and minorities hardest hit.
16. Posted by DocRoch | December 24, 2007 6:42 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on December 24, 2007 18:42