Armageddon may be nearing in 2014 - Eternal Allegiance

ManSlippers · 09-02-2003, 09:04 AM

Giant asteroid heading towards Earth

LONDON (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 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 Programme.

"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.

Rigeri · 09-02-2003, 10:23 AM

they also said like last year that one could hit us in 2017.. a month later it was confirmed it wouldn't.

Remember they are so far away.. that they only have to change the way they are going like 0,01% and that would make them go like million miles past the earth or something like that.

Anyway if something big like that would hit the earth.. atleast we would have few years to prepare for it

It doesn't happen like it does in the movies that something suddenly hits the earth like a month after people found out... If it would then it wouldn't be big enough to destroy the planet.

MMB · 09-02-2003, 11:32 AM

A nuclear war has much better chances.

bex · 09-02-2003, 11:36 AM

*hates it when the media uses the term "Armageddon" in the wrong context*

Anyway.. yeah, very unlikely.. Even if it was, like Geiri said, we'd have a few years to prepare for it..

Rigeri · 09-02-2003, 11:49 AM

I think nuclear war will kill us all in the next 100 years... or before we get hit by an asteroid.

MMB · 09-03-2003, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Geiri
I think nuclear war will kill us all in the next 100 years... or before we get hit by an asteroid.

Yes, but the only difference with a nuclear war, compared to an asteroid, is that they already have the ability (the weapons and the insane minds) to execute it right now.

midnightman · 09-05-2003, 11:04 AM

Heh, I hope it happens. That'd be funny.

RainDrop · 09-19-2003, 07:36 AM

either that or nuclear weapons will end us all. oh well, on to class.

Quinn · 09-19-2003, 07:42 AM

Haven't asteroids been almost hitting the earth since July 1994?

I strongly doubt it'll happen.

Beavis_ea · 09-19-2003, 08:56 AM

I doubt it will happen. Most likely we'll blow ourselves up before any asteroid could destroy us.