Post by wweuniverse47871 on Jun 27, 2011 1:17:28 GMT -5
An asteroid which is set to pass within 12,000 kilometres of Earth tonight is a timely reminder there is more to our environment than meets the eye, astronomers say.
The 2011 MD asteroid, which is about the size of two buses, will pass over Australia about 11:00pm.
Experts say there is no chance of impact and Fred Watson from the Australian Astronomical Observatory says there won't be much of a spectacle.
He says the object is "tiny", and will only be visible from large telescopes in South Africa.
"The best place to see it will be just north of the Antarctic coast, about 3,000 kilometres south-west of South Africa," he said.
"We won't see anything in Australia. If they've got quite big telescopes in South Africa they might see something."
He says it will look similar to a shooting star, but will move much more gracefully across the sky.
Mr Watson says while 2011 MD will pass "quite close" to the Earth, others have come much closer.
"There was another asteroid back in February this year which was down at 5,500 kilometres," he said. "But even then, nothing happened really."
This asteroid is bigger than the one in February, but Mr Watson says there is still no chance it will enter the Earth's atmosphere.
Even if it did, he says 2011 MD would pose no threat to life on Earth.
"Absolutely no possibility," he said.
"Its orbit is very well defined. Its nearest approach will be 12,000 kilometres. It's nowhere near the vicinity of the Earth."
It will, however, come close to several communications satellites.
"There is no danger of a collision though," he said.
"On the incoming trajectory of the asteroid it will pass outside the geosynchronous satellite and when it's outgoing it will pass inside.
"There are satellites that orbit at that distance but there aren't many of them. Most are either in a much lower or higher orbit."
Mr Watson says the closeness of 2011 MD is a reminder to people that events on Earth have the potential to be shaped by asteroids - "like the annihilation of the dinosaurs".
"It reminds people we live in an environment littered with debris of this kind, which is actually the leftovers of the solar system's formation about 4.6 billion years ago," he said.
"It alerts people to the fact we live in a dynamic environment and space is worth watching."
He says astronomers are keeping a close eye on an asteroid called Apophis, which will come very close to the Earth in 2029.
"It's not impossible that something will collide with the Earth in the future. There are objects we know will present a potential threat," he said.
"In 2029 there is one that will pass very close to the Earth but probably won't hit the Earth. But depending on how near the Earth it goes, it might be deflected into an orbit that will take it onto a collision course, probably in the 2030s."
Source: www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/27/3254447.htm?section=justin
Oppinions?
I'm definately gonna get my sisters telescope and go on my roof when this is meant to happen, Even if they don't expect us to see it I will still try keep a look out. The bit at the ends a little creepy I might do a bit of research on that one and post it on here.
The 2011 MD asteroid, which is about the size of two buses, will pass over Australia about 11:00pm.
Experts say there is no chance of impact and Fred Watson from the Australian Astronomical Observatory says there won't be much of a spectacle.
He says the object is "tiny", and will only be visible from large telescopes in South Africa.
"The best place to see it will be just north of the Antarctic coast, about 3,000 kilometres south-west of South Africa," he said.
"We won't see anything in Australia. If they've got quite big telescopes in South Africa they might see something."
He says it will look similar to a shooting star, but will move much more gracefully across the sky.
Mr Watson says while 2011 MD will pass "quite close" to the Earth, others have come much closer.
"There was another asteroid back in February this year which was down at 5,500 kilometres," he said. "But even then, nothing happened really."
This asteroid is bigger than the one in February, but Mr Watson says there is still no chance it will enter the Earth's atmosphere.
Even if it did, he says 2011 MD would pose no threat to life on Earth.
"Absolutely no possibility," he said.
"Its orbit is very well defined. Its nearest approach will be 12,000 kilometres. It's nowhere near the vicinity of the Earth."
It will, however, come close to several communications satellites.
"There is no danger of a collision though," he said.
"On the incoming trajectory of the asteroid it will pass outside the geosynchronous satellite and when it's outgoing it will pass inside.
"There are satellites that orbit at that distance but there aren't many of them. Most are either in a much lower or higher orbit."
Mr Watson says the closeness of 2011 MD is a reminder to people that events on Earth have the potential to be shaped by asteroids - "like the annihilation of the dinosaurs".
"It reminds people we live in an environment littered with debris of this kind, which is actually the leftovers of the solar system's formation about 4.6 billion years ago," he said.
"It alerts people to the fact we live in a dynamic environment and space is worth watching."
He says astronomers are keeping a close eye on an asteroid called Apophis, which will come very close to the Earth in 2029.
"It's not impossible that something will collide with the Earth in the future. There are objects we know will present a potential threat," he said.
"In 2029 there is one that will pass very close to the Earth but probably won't hit the Earth. But depending on how near the Earth it goes, it might be deflected into an orbit that will take it onto a collision course, probably in the 2030s."
Source: www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/27/3254447.htm?section=justin
Oppinions?
I'm definately gonna get my sisters telescope and go on my roof when this is meant to happen, Even if they don't expect us to see it I will still try keep a look out. The bit at the ends a little creepy I might do a bit of research on that one and post it on here.
, that video scared the 
