I was browsing on AOL yesterday and an article on Asteroid Apophis caught my interest. I love studying the weather and the causes and effects of the movement of the atmosphere, but I also love reading and learning about Earth Science and the various aspects which make up our gorgeous planet.
The asteroid is the size of a 25-story building and on April 13, 2029 the asteroid will come relatively close to Earth, within 18,000 miles as a matter of fact. The odds of the asteroid colliding with the Earth is 1 in 45,000 and the probability is 2.7% but still after reading this article I found that this asteroid is a little too close for comfort. Also the name Apophis is Greek and comes from the ancient Egyptian god Apep of darkness and chaos. It received this name because it was rated number 4 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale (where 0 is the lowest and 10 is the highest), for 2 years after it’s discovery in 2004. The asteroid has since dropped to 0 for the 2029 date, however predictions for possible impact in April 13, 2036, has given the asteroid a numer 1 rating for that date.
There are many asteroids, comets and other space matter that come close to hitting the Earth or fall through the Earth’s atmosphere every day. Scientists keep watchful eyes on these objects in case one such like that of Asteroid Apophis which can potentially come close to colliding with the Earth. Though many of these object pass by the planet, some space matter does hit. In 1908 an asteroid around 50 meters in length, exploded over an unpopulated area of Russia, leveling trees for 800 miles. Then there’s always that 6.2 mile asteroid which is thought to have lead to the extinction of dinosaurs.
The data collected is all from the projected path of the asteroid and considering the date of 2029, the risk factor may be years away but this asteroid still shows the possibility that as the planet is floating around in outer space, an object such like that of an asteroid can strike it. Let’s hope in 2029 the asteroid will just pass the planet with no harm. It would be cool to see the asteroid though with a telescope or with naked eye as you can in the event of a meteor shower or lunar eclipse.
Link to the article can be found at: http://news.aol.com/article/asteroid-apophis/426922
For more information on Asteroid Aphohis visit: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/apophis/
The asteroid is the size of a 25-story building and on April 13, 2029 the asteroid will come relatively close to Earth, within 18,000 miles as a matter of fact. The odds of the asteroid colliding with the Earth is 1 in 45,000 and the probability is 2.7% but still after reading this article I found that this asteroid is a little too close for comfort. Also the name Apophis is Greek and comes from the ancient Egyptian god Apep of darkness and chaos. It received this name because it was rated number 4 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale (where 0 is the lowest and 10 is the highest), for 2 years after it’s discovery in 2004. The asteroid has since dropped to 0 for the 2029 date, however predictions for possible impact in April 13, 2036, has given the asteroid a numer 1 rating for that date.
There are many asteroids, comets and other space matter that come close to hitting the Earth or fall through the Earth’s atmosphere every day. Scientists keep watchful eyes on these objects in case one such like that of Asteroid Apophis which can potentially come close to colliding with the Earth. Though many of these object pass by the planet, some space matter does hit. In 1908 an asteroid around 50 meters in length, exploded over an unpopulated area of Russia, leveling trees for 800 miles. Then there’s always that 6.2 mile asteroid which is thought to have lead to the extinction of dinosaurs.
The data collected is all from the projected path of the asteroid and considering the date of 2029, the risk factor may be years away but this asteroid still shows the possibility that as the planet is floating around in outer space, an object such like that of an asteroid can strike it. Let’s hope in 2029 the asteroid will just pass the planet with no harm. It would be cool to see the asteroid though with a telescope or with naked eye as you can in the event of a meteor shower or lunar eclipse.
Link to the article can be found at: http://news.aol.com/article/asteroid-apophis/426922
For more information on Asteroid Aphohis visit: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/apophis/
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