Asteroid 2012 DA14: May hit Earth on Feb15th 2013: Updated

An asteroid named 2012 DA14 is moving towards the Earth, in fact according to the NASA Neo JPL site (LINK) it has a very similar orbit to earth, and has probably been there for thousands of years.

On February 15, 2013, the asteroid will fly at a distance of 26 900 km (16,715miles from the center point of Earth). This distance is 6000 miles closer than some of the satellites orbiting the Earth from a distance of 35,700 km. There is no guarantee that the asteroid will hit or will miss, there is simply not enough data, but it is close enough to be affected by our gravity potentially being pulled to earth, it all depends on trajectory, speed and luck!

The odds of it hitting us is approx  1 in 83,000, however to put this in perspective, the odds of winning the UK National Lottery is 1 in 13,983,816, remember someone wins nearly every week. The odds are in our favor for a miss, however there is still a maybe.

There is a possibility the asteroid will collide with Earth, but further calculation is required to estimate the potential threat and work out how to avert possible disaster, NASA expert Dr. David Dunham told students at Moscow’s University of Electronics and Mathematics (MIEM).
“The Earth’s gravitational field will alter the asteroid’s path significantly. Further scrupulous calculation is required to estimate the threat of collision,” said Dr. Dunham, as transcribed by Russia’s Izvestia. “The asteroid may break into dozens of small pieces, or several large lumps may split from it and burn up in the atmosphere. The type of the asteroid and its mineral structure can be determined by spectral analysis. This will help predict its behavior in the atmosphere and what should be done to prevent the potential threat,” said Dr. Dunham. (RT)

If this asteroid did hit the earth, the impact could destroy a city, the devastation and loss of life would be horrific. We must be aware of these events, remember the Government will not give enough warning worried about panic. So stay informed!

The asteroid was first detected by the Spanish Observatorio Astronomico de La Sagra on the 23rd Feb 2012. The size of the asteroid is not clear, but may be anywhere between 40-150 meters. Astronomers will continue to monitor the asteroid to find out the exact size and path.

The estimated size of 2012 DA14 places it in the same category as the celestial body that, scientists say, exploded over western Siberia in 1908. The Tunguska blast,  knocked down trees over a total area of 2,150 sq km (830 sq miles).

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320607#ixzz1oRXWki00

Though many theories exist concerning the event on Podkamennaya Tunsguska River, the leading explanation is a space body more than 50 meters in size blew up in the atmosphere, the blast being at least 1,000 more powerful than the nuclear bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945

Scientists suggest confronting this asteroid with either a 'big gun' or with a special heat reflecting paint.

"With the asteroid zooming that low, it will be too late to do anything with it besides trying to predict its final destination and the consequences of impact."

A spaceship is needed, experts agree. It could shoot the rock down or just crash into it, either breaking the asteroid into debris or throwing it off course.

NASA expert David Dunham suggested: “We could paint it.” The paint would change the asteroid's ability to reflect sunlight, alter its spin and change its temperature.

However, even taking the asteroid off course is unpredictable and could be dangerous when it returns in 2056, according to Aleksandr Devaytkin the head of the observatory in Russia’s Pulkovo, as told to Izvestia in Russia recently.

"The new trajectory could cause a direct hit on its next visit."

The problem with either option is that there is the lack of time, for development of such a system and early enough deployment to make a difference, building a spaceship to deal with 2012 DA14 will take at least two years.

The asteroid has proven a bitter discovery. It has been circling in orbit for at lest three years already, crossing Earth’s path several times, says space analyst Sergey Naroenkov from the Russian Academy of Sciences. It seems that spotting danger from outer space is still the area where mere chance reigns, while asteroid defence systems exist only in drafts.

Still, prospects of meeting 2012 DA14 are not all doom and gloom.
“The asteroid may split into pieces entering the atmosphere. In this case, most part of it will never reach the planet’s surface,” remarks Dunham.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/320607#ixzz1oRY7GCpM

What this does show is that there are many objects in our solar system that we do not know about, never dismiss anything without investigation, even then there is always new information.

So when people dismiss Planet X, Nibiru, etc, it is through ignorance and narrow mindedness. Always remain open to the possibilities!


Quote NBC News".. though this asteroid may miss us, experts say there is nothing wrong in getting your affairs in order..."

 NBC News report

Remember it is only a matter of time:

Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass within 0.85 lunar distances from the Earth on November 8, 2011

99942 Apophis will pass in 2029 (odds of missing is 1 in 250,000), depending on that pass it will either hit us or miss us in 2036, if it hits us it WILL wipe out most of life on earth

Apophis Link: http://lifetimeandus.blogspot.com/2011/08/asteroid-apophis-real-threat.html

For up to date info follow me on Twitter: @LifeTimeUs

Links:
Earth Impact Risk Summary: neo.jpl.nasa.gov
Orbit Diagram: ssd.jpl.nasa.gov
Impact Risk: http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/ip?2.2e-04
Contributed source:  http://rt.com/news/paint-asteroid-earth-nasa-767/