NASA: Asteroid Apophis Will Not Strike Earth
NASA scientist ruled out the possibility that the asteroid Apophis will strike Earth in a flyby in 2036.
Discovered in 2004, Apophis has a diameter of about 325 m, was originally believed to be approaching Earth close enough in 2029 and 2036 to justify closer investigations on the probability for impact.
NASA, however, is now certain that Apophis will not hit Earth in 2036 and will pass our planet at a distance of no closer than 19,400 miles on April 13, 2029. The impact odds as they stand now are less than one in a million, which makes us comfortable saying we can effectively rule out an Earth impact in 2036," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL. "Our interest in asteroid Apophis will essentially be for its scientific interest for the foreseeable future."
In February, NASA is expecting a much closer flyby of 2012 DA14, an asteroid with a diameter of about 40 meters, at a distance of about 17,200 miles. 2012 DA14 will approach Earth again in 2046 at a distance of about 50,000 miles.
Somehow i dont think Nasa knows about ALL of the potencial asteroids out there.
They have admitted as much - many asteroids remain a danger, especially small ones that could strike the atmosphere like the one that supposedly caused the Tunguska event. That would be enough to take out a city.
Because NASA has to operate on a shoestring budget. Why fund an effective asteroid detection/counter system that might not be used 30-50 years from now when you can throw the money elsewhere?
(A nuke does not count as a counter. Contrary to Hollywood, a nuke may end up turning the asteroid into a gigantic hail of buckshot, which is worse because the hail could do more damage than the asteroid itself)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zvCUmeoHpw
http://tinyurl.com/bant47v
On another conspiracy theory... anyone else notice the global warming nay sayers, there is one such particular silly old bugger on Sydney radio, offloading their waterfront properties and buying large chunks of cheap, soon to be very lucrative, high ground?