quote: For a few days at the end of December, an asteroid named 2004 MN4 looked like it might be Earth's biggest impact threat. Based on available information about its orbit, astronomers gave odds of 1 in 37 that 2004 MN4 would strike Earth April 13, 2029. But astronomers found images of the asteroid taken before its discovery, giving them a longer arc of its orbit, and the collision threat evaporated. It appeared the rock would miss Earth by 40,000 miles (64,400 kilometers).
Now, radar measurements suggest MN4 will miss us by half that distance — and come so close Earth's gravity could rip it apart.
Here.
From: home of the Guess Who | Registered: Nov 2003
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verbatim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 569
posted 11 February 2005 02:48 PM
Freaky. The point made by scientist Clark Chapman about error estimates is a good one, I think. The margin of error is less that the orbital height of weather satellites, for chrissakes!
It's also interesting how it will be passing by on Friday the 13th of that year. That won't inflame any superstitions -- nosiree.
From: The People's Republic of Cook Street | Registered: May 2001
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Hephaestion
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4795
posted 11 February 2005 04:19 PM
Ummm.... not to get all New Age freaky, or anything, but doesn't the Mayan calendar, which covers thousands of years, suddenly...ah... stop in 2029?
*small voice* I think I read that somewhere a while back...
From: goodbye... :-( | Registered: Dec 2003
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verbatim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 569
posted 11 February 2005 04:29 PM
The Mayan Calendar ends on December 12th, 2012. There is still a fair bit of speculation as to why it stopped there, but it won't coincide with this asteroid encounter.
The Mayans sure are a mystery.
From: The People's Republic of Cook Street | Registered: May 2001
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No Yards
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4169
posted 11 February 2005 04:36 PM
Whew ... maybe we won't have to go through another Y2K scare at the end of unix time, which ends at Tue 19 Jan 2038 at 03:14 and 7 sec. AM GMT.
From: Defending traditional marriage since June 28, 2005 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Vigilante
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8104
posted 13 February 2005 09:46 PM
By this time we'll be in a hefty ecological disaster.
From: Toronto | Registered: Feb 2005
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Fidel
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5594
posted 14 February 2005 12:11 AM
Ya, we'll have choked on our own pollution and run out of clean drinking water by then.
From: Viva La Revolución | Registered: Apr 2004
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verbatim
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 569
posted 14 February 2005 12:17 AM
It just occurs to me that this encounter will be a couple months after my 60th birthday. Wow. That's weird to contemplate, but I remember when my 30th birthday was just as unthinkable.
From: The People's Republic of Cook Street | Registered: May 2001
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Papal Bull
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7050
posted 14 February 2005 12:19 AM
...Oh man.
Given my luck I'm still going to be a lonely 20 year old living in my parents basement for the summer when the end of the world comes
From: Vatican's best darned ranch | Registered: Oct 2004
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ShyViolet
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6611
posted 14 February 2005 12:25 AM
dear god...i'll be 43.5 years old! i can't imagine being 25, much less in my 40s!
anyhow...i really really hope they're wrong about this asteroid!!! i'm not ready to see the world (or myself) come to an end yet!!!
From: ~Love is like pi: natural, irrational, and very important~ | Registered: Aug 2004
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Jimmy Brogan
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3290
posted 14 February 2005 12:30 AM
I'll be well into my 70's by then so if the world ends on that date it won't be as big a tragedy as it might have been.
From: The right choice - Iggy Thumbscrews for Liberal leader | Registered: Nov 2002
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googlymoogly
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3819
posted 14 February 2005 12:33 AM
I'll be 46
From: the fiery bowels of hell | Registered: Mar 2003
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James
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5341
posted 14 February 2005 12:39 AM
77 , should be a lucky year for me, no ?
From: Windsor; ON | Registered: Mar 2004
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Papal Bull
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7050
posted 14 February 2005 01:02 AM
Dammit, you'll all be old in 2029. I'll still be relatively young and attractive.
From: Vatican's best darned ranch | Registered: Oct 2004
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James
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5341
posted 14 February 2005 01:04 AM
quote:Originally posted by Papal_Bull: Dammit, you'll all be old in 2029. I'll still be relatively young and attractive.
and still learning how to spell damnit !
From: Windsor; ON | Registered: Mar 2004
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Papal Bull
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7050
posted 14 February 2005 01:15 AM
Dammit is the way to spell nowadays. You just ain't in touch with the youth my old gaffer
From: Vatican's best darned ranch | Registered: Oct 2004
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ShyViolet
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6611
posted 14 February 2005 01:25 AM
quote:Originally posted by Papal_Bull: Dammit, you'll all be old in 2029. I'll still be relatively young and attractive.
pb...you'll be 41 or 42 in 2029! you won't be that young!
From: ~Love is like pi: natural, irrational, and very important~ | Registered: Aug 2004
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googlymoogly
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3819
posted 14 February 2005 01:30 AM
damnit...dammit...hmmm- oh wait, I can't swear, babble might fire me
From: the fiery bowels of hell | Registered: Mar 2003
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Raos
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5702
posted 14 February 2005 01:36 AM
That would be the day before my 43rd birthday. I hope I make it to my 43rd birthday.
From: Sweet home Alaberta | Registered: May 2004
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Papal Bull
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7050
posted 14 February 2005 01:39 AM
Yes I will. I'm going to find the elixir of youth.
From: Vatican's best darned ranch | Registered: Oct 2004
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James
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5341
posted 14 February 2005 01:48 AM
quote:Originally posted by Papal_Bull: Dammit is the way to spell nowadays. You just ain't in touch with the youth my old gaffer
Damn'it: derived from "damnation to it" ! and damnation to the whipper-snappers, too !
[ 14 February 2005: Message edited by: James ]
From: Windsor; ON | Registered: Mar 2004
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Papal Bull
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7050
posted 14 February 2005 01:59 AM
...Big Show?
From: Vatican's best darned ranch | Registered: Oct 2004
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ShyViolet
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6611
posted 14 February 2005 02:01 AM
ewww!!! what IS that?!?!!!
From: ~Love is like pi: natural, irrational, and very important~ | Registered: Aug 2004
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Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791
posted 14 February 2005 08:35 AM
quote:Originally posted by Raos: That would be the day before my 43rd birthday. I hope I make it to my 43rd birthday.
I'll be 80 in 2029. Where does the time go?
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004
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Boom Boom
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 7791
posted 14 February 2005 08:36 AM
quote:Originally posted by ShyViolet417: ewww!!! what IS that?!?!!!
Sasquatch.
From: Make the rich pay! | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted 11 February 2005 02:25 PM
