NASA says Killer asteroid Apophis less likely to hit earth now

Friday, October 09, 2009

NASA says Killer asteroid Apophis less likely to hit earth now

We can all breath easier now... or is it too soon?

NASA has downgraded the threat of a massive asteroid slamming into Earth in 2036.
Apophis, which was discovered in 2004 and thought to pose a threat to Earth, is about 270 metres in diameter.

There is now a one-in-250,000 chance of a collision with Earth in 2036, sharply down from an earlier estimate of a one-in-45,000 chance, according to scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

"The refined orbital determination further reinforces that Apophis is an asteroid we can look to as an opportunity for exciting science and not something that should be feared," Don Yeomans, manager of the Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL, said in a statement.

At first, astronomers worried the asteroid had a 2.7 per cent chance of colliding with Earth in 2029. Later calculations ruled out a collision in that year. Source

1 comment:

: Anonymous said...; 1st of all its funny that some peoples still believe anything that nasa crap tell them! 2nd nasa will never tell you when a meteor will hit the earth tomorrow soo why they would bullhit you thAT IN 2029 a real one will hit hahaha, nasa is a circus and completely dumb. i am sure many intelligent peoples dont believe any crap nasa is telling anymore wait maybe in 5 years they will re name the asteroid with another name and change the storie lol; 4:27 AM

Friday, October 09, 2009