Giant asteroid could hit Earth in 2014

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A giant asteroid is heading for Earth and could hit in 2014, U.S. astronomers have warned British space monitors.

But for those fearing Armageddon, don't be alarmed -- the chances of a catastrophic collision are just one in 909,000.

Asteroid "2003 QQ47" will be closely monitored over the next two months. Its potential strike date is March 21, 2014, but astronomers say that any risk of impact is likely to decrease as further data is gathered.

On impact, it could have the effect of 20 million Hiroshima atomic bombs, a spokesman for the British government's Near Earth Object Information Centre told BBC radio.

The Centre issued the warning about the asteroid after the giant rock was first observed in New Mexico by the Lincoln Near Earth Asteroid Research Program.

"The Near Earth Object will be observable from Earth for the next two months and astronomers will continue to track it over this period," said Dr Alan Fitzsimmons, one of the expert team advising the Centre.

Asteroids such as 2003 QQ47 are chunks of rock left over from the formation of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. Most are kept at a safe distance from the Earth in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

But the gravitational influence of giant planets such as Jupiter can nudge asteroids out of these safe orbits and send them plunging towards Earth.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/T...index.html

i think itll miss us...dont you?

violett said:

We are fucked... it is going to crash into earth with the force of 20 million Hiroshima bombs.

NOT!!

ok

IceNine said:

LOL

IceNine said:

Stop Ice your scaring me.

Right on. What an excellent way to die.

Paisley said:

I'm sorry. Sometimes life sucks... death is even worse, especially when it is brought by a large asteroid that will destroy all life on earth.

IceNine said:

someone hold me.

IceNine said:

Don't be so negative. It will be exciting! What, you'd rather die of cancer? Auto accident? BORING! I'm all about armageddon-via-asteroid as a really cool way to go.

does this mean prince can release a new version of 1999 called 2014?


2014 THE MASTER REMIX
featuring Kirky K, Larry Graham and Mariah Carey guesting for Rosie Gaines who guested for Lisa and Jill...

sosgemini said:

hahahhahah

<--- will be boarding the escape space vehicle from the secret capitalist valley

well at least we know how its gonna happen now


party till 2014

<--- will be sipping pina coladas at the McDonald's on the moon while the rest of you people fry

teller said:

Paisley said:

paisley it'll be alright huny

tackam said:

Okay... screw it... bring on the asteroid!

WoooHooo!

sosgemini said:

Oh, please no.

:LOL:

teller said:

Teller will be "boarding" all right...

C O W A B U N G A !

One particular David Bowie song will be very powerful in 2009...

what with nuclear weapons called 'peacekeepers' and killing
your own called 'friendly fire', you'd have thought that they
would have given it a better name than 2003 QQ47.

What about 'the magic space pebble'

or 'pixie stone'

or 'ELE-rock'
[This message was edited Tue Sep 2 12:04:32 PDT 2003 by BorisFishpaw]

It's about damn time... and only a day short of my 43rd Birthday.

~Live today. Dying doesn't scare me... it's not living while we are alive.

Well at least I'll still look pretty good when I die.

Paisley said:

You won't feel a thing.

I LOVE it!