Saturday, June 25, 2022
Sign-In
|
Sign-Up
|
Contact Us
|
Bookmark
Home
News
Articles
Forum
Search
Directory
Blog
Accounts
Business
|
Politics
|
Technology
|
Entertainment
|
Sport
|
Other
|
All Published News
|
A giant asteroid, which is to fly past Earth in 2029, may strike the planet several years later
Astronomers calculated that the asteroid called 2004 MN4, 1000 feet in diameter, would fly past the planet at the range of only 15-25 thousand miles. The distance is equal to one-tenth of the distance between the Earth and the Moon. One will be able to observe the celestial body with unaided eye. Scientists are certain that the asteroid will only fly Earth past, although they are quite concerned about the influence that it will have on the planet. The Earth's gravity may change the orbit of the celestial body, which, in its turn, might eventually result in the collision of 2004 MN4 with Earth already in 2034 or two or three years later. Experts suggest marking the asteroid with a transponder, which will constantly be providing information about its whereabouts. Scientists hope that it will help take urgent measures in case of a state of emergency and redirect the space object away from Earth. Scientist also want to obtain information about the composition of the asteroid. They believe that the chemical structure of the asteroid might be connected with the influence that the Earth's gravity will exert on it. In addition, the asteroid will near Earth again in 2034 and 2035. The 2004 MN4 is big enough to cause planet Earth the damage of regional scale. If it hits the planet, the impact will be comparable to the blast of a 1,000-megaton bomb. The asteroid was discovered in June of 2004; the calculation of its orbit will be completed in December of the current year. Astronomers calculated at first that chances for the asteroid to hit planet Earth on 13 April 2029 would be estimated at 1 to 38. Additional computations showed, however, that Earth will avoid the collision with the asteroid, although it will fly very close to the planet: the asteroid's trajectory will be lower than the altitude of television satellites. People will be able to observe the celestial body as a fast-moving luminous dot.
Related News
A daring memorial Russian-Austrian Arctic expedition will soon depart to retrace the steps of Franz Josef Land archipelago discoverers
The new technology for breaking up ore deep under the ground by means of large-scale explosions is unmatched by anything else in the world
Heavy winds and rain ripped through the Pacific port of Vladivostok on Wednesday, killing two people
Russia is the world's leader in the development of cell communications
Sunday April 17, the 11th expedition arrived on the International Space Station, and the previous crew met them with sweets
The ESA finds the Kliper a very interesting project
Russia plans to start dismantling foreign decommissioned nuclear submarines
The Internet has a new project, Victors, for the 60th anniversary of Victory
The Chinese government has become increasingly sophisticated at controlling the Internet
Russian scientists have called for tougher control over the use of transgenic organisms
Spokesmen for the RF Interior Ministry officially admit that Russian hackers are the world's best ones
This year it is planned to open a route for small aircraft flying VFR (visual flight rules) from American Alaska to Russian Chukotka
The International Space Station is an embodiment of international cooperation in space
Moscow scientists developed a microbe-controlling method
Tutankhamun was not treacherously murdered, but died a natural death
Apple Computer Inc. on Tuesday said the latest version of its Mac OS X operating system will go on sale in the United States at the end of this month
Russia should continue to do everything possible to remain a leading space power
Federal Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov is to congratulate the International Space Station's crew on Cosmonautics Day
Russian Kliper could be launched in the next five years if the financing is found
A new set of equipment will be commissioned soon at the Burdenko Neurosurgery Research Institute in Moscow
Mar
April 2005
May
Mo
Tu
We
Th
Fr
Sa
Su
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8