Maybe our days are limited.. how many more are out there they don't know about?
Posted by TheRoanBadger on October 21, 2015, 5:19 pm
October 21, 2015; 4:22 PM ET
A newly discovered asteroid larger than a skyscraper will whiz past the Earth on Halloween, making a dangerously close approach to the planet.
The asteroid, officially named 2015 TB145, was just discovered on Oct. 10, 2015, and is expected to make its closest approach to the Earth at the end of the month.
Some have already given the asteroid the nickname of "Spooky" due to the fact that its closest approach to Earth is going to occur on Halloween.
Fortunately, the asteroid will miss the Earth, but it will still make an uncomfortably close approach of 302,885 miles. To put this in perspective, the average distance from the Earth to the moon is 238,900 miles.
The exact size of "Spooky" is still unknown, but NASA has estimated the diameter of the asteroid to be between 900 feet and 2,000 feet.
This is much smaller than the asteroid that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct, but if it collided with the Earth, it would still produce a significant amount of destruction around the area where it made impact.
reminds me of the time my brother caught me with a dirt clod...I didn't even know he could throw a clod that far. I ran in a little orbit for a second and then headed for the house hollering momma.
--Previous Message-- : October 21, 2015; 4:22 PM ET : : A newly discovered asteroid larger than a : skyscraper will whiz past the Earth on : Halloween, making a dangerously close : approach to the planet. : : The asteroid, officially named 2015 TB145, : was just discovered on Oct. 10, 2015, and is : expected to make its closest approach to the : Earth at the end of the month. : : Some have already given the asteroid the : nickname of "Spooky" due to the : fact that its closest approach to Earth is : going to occur on Halloween. : : Fortunately, the asteroid will miss the : Earth, but it will still make an : uncomfortably close approach of 302,885 : miles. To put this in perspective, the : average distance from the Earth to the moon : is 238,900 miles. : : The exact size of "Spooky" is : still unknown, but NASA has estimated the : diameter of the asteroid to be between 900 : feet and 2,000 feet. : : This is much smaller than the asteroid that : caused the dinosaurs to go extinct, but if : it collided with the Earth, it would still : produce a significant amount of destruction : around the area where it made impact. :