TX68 heading our way! duncan124: Asteroid 2013 TX68 is heading towards Earth and is now expected to pass within the orbit of most satellites at a distance of 11,000 km. The asteroids orbit has been difficult to predict and so it could be loose and ready to fall. At twice the size of the Chelyabinsk meteor that caused the considerable damage in Russia things could get a bit tricky if it slips closer to earth. And from our recent experience with asteroids there could be a lot of debris riding along with it. duncan124: Heres the old Tunguska event. Watch the dates and sizes. "A century later some still debate the cause and come up with different scenarios that could have caused the explosion," said Yeomans. "But the generally agreed upon theory is that on the morning of June 30, 1908, a large space rock, about 120 feet across, entered the atmosphere of Siberia and then detonated in the sky." NASA duncan124: " Although scientists do know that asteroid 2013 TX68 will not impact our planet during the upcoming flyby, the lack of observations in 2013 means they cannot now precisely predict its orbit. Bottom line: Astronomers know that asteroid 2013 TX68 will pass closest to Earth on March 5, 2016, but they do not know at this time if its closest approach will be millions of miles away or as close as 11,000 miles (17,000 km). " NASA How can it be millions of miles away or only 11,000 miles away??? NASAs automated systems are very unlikely to come up with another view of TX68 and so the question must be asked of other sources. NASA in the past has said that a very odd shaped asteroid is unlikely to go past a planet without altering. Does the undetermined orbit mean it is in fact several objects travelling together?? We know from experience that an undetermined orbit means that the object is likely to have already broken up so are we going to be faced with several objects from space about the size of the Chelyabinsk meteor?? duncan124: Personally, I think it is in fact one larger object and a number of smaller objects travelling together relating to the larger one. This would help explain the difficulties with the orbit but mean that a complex reaction would take place when the objects reached Earth, with all the material travelling together reacting to the changes in gravity  lori100: The Tunguska Event was odd...idk if a meteor could have done such an evenly created blast site... duncan124: Yes Lori you are right. Thanks for reminding me. Modern scientists think that a meteor only ignited or accelerated a reaction which occurs naturally on Earth. My point was only that internet resources agree about the sort of size problem people could be facing. But I was also thinking that maybe the asteroid was causing events on Earth already Spaceweathers recent report about the Ozone hole above the UK also made me think that way. Asteroids and meteors have a large bow wave travelling ahead and around them which could be about to reach Earth. Also CMEs and other electrical forces could be reflected toward Earth faster then the Asteroid was travelling. Its an interesting question if we are going to see this asteroid if it is going to be so close. Perhaps with so many alignments between the planets in Feb and March a comet like sign will be too much for the politically minded observers ! lori100: yw....it's disturbing that NASA doesn't know if it will be millions of miles or thousands of miles away from the Earth... duncan124: Pacific peoples are going to see a solar eclipse about just after perhaps seeing TX68 on the 8/9th of March. Emphatically a sign, yes or no?? http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2016-march-9 duncan124: Lunaticoutpost and others point out that NASA has now decided the 8th of March is set to be the day TX68 is closest if not actually upon us or millions of miles away. duncan124: Wait and see!! NASA has become uninterested in TX68 and reports that an unknown space object exploded over the sea without being detected first and without being noticed at the time. alles-schallundrauch.blogspot.co.uk sums up what is now "known". http://alles-schallundrauch.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/wird-asteroid-2013-tx68-die-erde-treffen.html If the asteroid comes close to Earth it is likely to leave some small objects even if it is n't a cloud of bits itself. So if you find a hole anywhere after the 8th of March you are free to make of it what you will. duncan124: Several meteors have exploded over Spain during the last week. Thewatchers report. http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2016/02/26/impressive-fireball-events-light-up-skies-over-iberian-peninsula/ " NASA has become uninterested in TX68 and reports that an unknown space object exploded over the sea without being detected first and without being noticed at the time." Hhhmmmm duncan124: Not heading our way?? NASA sponsored research finds that TX68 will miss earth by three million miles. But NASA has already said that was its preferred option. The truth is NASAs automated systems have lost the trail and things were n't quite as the had at first decided anyway. duncan124: I think it is likely that TX68 broke up and the parts formed a ' tube' of many small rocks. As it all moved around its orbit it started to fan out like a very thin funnel. But viewed from close to on end the dust and small bits produce an illusion of a solid object at the rear of the cloud. The substantial bow wave also got severely altered and now goes in side the funnel adding to the illusion that there was an object further away. (Edited by duncan124) duncan124: Large fireball over Scotland-but I don't think there was. It looks more like a Rear Guard against the delay in noticing the fireballs over Spain. The silence from the uninhabited void has embarrassed the dictators. duncan124: Interest in the southern Atlantic fireball reports increases. NASA had had at about the same time other reports of a similar type ie a cold blob of the coast of Brazil which seem to be spoilers for the main stories such as the Atlantic cold blob and the cold weather in the USA which proceeds the SSW events. duncan124: Aurora Borealis seen as far south as Oxfordshire in the UK. Spaceweather.com et al. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3480015/Northern-lights-dazzling-display-lucky-combination-conditions-means-aurora-borealis-visible-far-south-Oxfordshire.html " Dramatic light show was caused by strong solar winds with a good connection to the earth's magnetic field " Not the dust from a heap of meteors ensuring that good connection to the Earths magnetic field.?? ....or the solar eclipse and super moon???... | Science Chat Room Similar Conversations |