Angie says..."Asteroids MAKE ME SOOOOO HORNY!"

[Spooky]

Asteroid 2007 TU24 will pass within about 540,000 kilometres, or 1.4 lunar distances, of Earth, reaching its closest approach at 3:33 a.m. ET.

Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., said the asteroid has no chance of hitting the Earth.

The asteroid is roughly 250 metres in diameter and somewhat asymmetrical, according to images from radar data obtained last week, using the 70-metre Goldstone antenna, part of NASA's Deep Space Network Goldstone station in Southern California's Mojave Desert.

The asteroid will, for a brief time on Tuesday and Wednesday, be visible to amateur telescopes of 7.6-centimetre apertures or larger, according to the Near-Earth Object program office of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.

The asteroid will reach an apparent magnitude of 10.3, or about 50 times fainter than an object just visible to the naked eye on a clear, dark sky, NASA said.

JPL astronomer Steve Ostro said in a statement that this particular asteroid hasn't come this close to Earth in more than 2,000 years.

Asteroids of this size or larger are expected to pass this close to Earth, on average, about every five years, the scientists said. These asteroids hit the Earth on average once every 37,000 years, they said.

In 2002, amateur astronomers were able to observe the flight of an 800-metre-wide asteroid when it passed over North American skies at a similar distance from Earth.

On March 31, 2004, a small asteroid, designated 2004 FU162, came the closest to Earth, passing within 6,500 kilometres, or roughly one Earth radius. It was only five to 10 metres in diameter, however.

Asteroid 2007 TU24 was discovered last October. NASA scientists said they plan to track and take high-resolution radar images of the asteroid as it nears Earth, with the hopes of producing a 3-D reconstruction.

The close approach of the asteroid come a day before another asteroid, called 2007 WD5, is expected to pass close by the planet Mars.

NASA scientists had said 2007 WD5 was discovered in November, and had a 1 in 25 chance of hitting the Red Planet. Those odds dropped significantly as the scientists at the Near-Earth Object program office observed the path of the asteroid.

They now say their best estimate is that it will pass about 26,000 km from the planet's centre at about 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

[Millergirl4]

I'd watch for it but I'm sure I'll have dishes to do or something.

[Spooky]

millergirl4 said:

I'd watch for it but I'm sure I'll have dishes to do or something.

What? You okay or do you just enjoy doing dishes that much?

[Millergirl4]

Let's put it this way...I'd rather watch Star Wars or Harry Potter.... ;D

[Spooky]

OMG, you really hate asteroids don't you?

I think you can only see it through a telescope anyway Miss PartyPooper.

[Millergirl4]

I don't own a telescope, I sold it with my harry Potter collection.

Are youuuuuu going to watch it?

[Spooky]

I don't have a telescope but if I could see it without one, I would for sure watch it. I wouldn't get up in the middle of the night or anything to watch it but I would check it out.

But I'm still cool right? I dislike Star Wars and haven't even touched a Harry Potter book. That makes me alright right?

[Millergirl4]

Ya your cool. Ya know we seem to be in the minority so maybe we aren't the cool ones.

[Spooky]

millergirl4 said:

Ya your cool. Ya know we seem to be in the minority so maybe we aren't the cool ones.

Speak for yourself....

[Millergirl4]

Well when you hit that magical age of 30, coolness, is a confusing thing.

[Spooky]

millergirl4 said:

Well when you hit that magical age of 30, coolness, is a confusing thing.

So you've heard right? You're only turning 24 next month aren't you?

[sarah1826]

millergirl4 said:

Well when you hit that magical age of 30, coolness, is a confusing thing.

Hey now, I will be hitting the mid 30 category on my next b-day & I am cooler than ever

OK maybe not, but I like to think I get better with age. That's my story & I am sticking to it ;D

[Millergirl4]

sarah1826 said:

millergirl4 said:

Well when you hit that magical age of 30, coolness, is a confusing thing.

Hey now, I will be hitting the mid 30 category on my next b-day & I am cooler than ever

OK maybe not, but I like to think I get better with age. That's my story & I am sticking to it ;D

You're like fine wine. Don't worry I'll be 32 in February, so I'm no spring chicken.

[Spooky]

You guys are talking like your a bunch of old farts. You've got a long time before either of you are "old" ;D

[Millergirl4]

Soon Sarah and I will be too busy playing bingo to be on this forum with you youngin's.

Hey Sarah wanna hit that crocheting class on Thursdays?