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Asteroid 2018 GE3

Discussion in 'Environmental Discussion' started by bwilson4web, Apr 17, 2018.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Source: 'Tunguska'-Size Asteroid Makes Surprise Flyby of Earth

    An asteroid similar in size to one that exploded more than 100 years ago in Russia's Tunguska region in Siberia gave Earth a close shave on Sunday (April 15), just one day after astronomers discovered the object.

    The asteroid, designated 2018 GE3, made its closest approach to Earth at around 2:41 a.m. EDT (0641 GMT), whizzing by at a distance of 119,400 miles (192,000 kilometers), or about half the average distance between Earth and the moon, according to NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies(CNEOS).
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    This type of late detection does not bode well.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #1 bwilson4web, Apr 17, 2018
  2. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    I see two problems. Global spending on NEO detection is somewhere in $10 to 20 millions per year. Obviously could do more with 10x more money but from where? Maybe a better-aimed Chelyabinsk can elevate discussions.

    Regardless of earthbound observational effort a substantial fraction of sky is 'whited-out'. Unobservable. Thanks, Sun. Hardware at Lagrange 4 or 5 would help but 10x more money would not cover that.
     
    #2 tochatihu, Apr 17, 2018
  3. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    BTW Tunguska is on my bucket list. It's a dead-wood thing :)
     
    #3 tochatihu, Apr 17, 2018
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    we could use a good steroid collision, might set us on the right path...
     
    #4 bisco, Apr 17, 2018
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