Astronomers call it: There will be an asteroid hit tonight

[b-real]

Astronomers call it: There will be an asteroid hit tonight

Astronomers are calling their first ever asteroid impact -- a really small and insignificant one -- for Monday night in Sudan. The 6.5-foot-wide rock, designated 8TA9D69 by its discoverers at the University of Arizona Mount Lemmon Survey, will break up in the atmosphere over Sudan.

 

The asteroid will enter Earth's atmosphere at about 10:46 p.m. ET (2:46 a.m. GMT). There is no danger to people or property since the asteroid will not reach the ground. It will burn up in the upper atmosphere, well above where airplanes travel. People in eastern Africa will be able to see a brilliant fireball.

 

"This is the first time an asteroid impact has been predicted," and shows astronomers are improving their asteroid observation capabilities, says NASA's David Morrison, in a asteroid newsletter.

 

The atmospheric impact will equal about a 1 kiloton explosion, causing no damage on the ground, according to Italian astronomer Andrea Milani of the University of Pisa.

 

"We want to stress that this object is not a threat," said Dr. Timothy Spahr, director of the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center.

 

"We're excited since this is the first time we have issued a prediction that an object will enter Earth's atmosphere," Spahr added. There are between 99.8 and 100% odds the object will encounter Earth, according to Milani's calculations.

 

A small asteroid like this compresses the air in front of it when it enters the Earth's atmosphere. The compression heats the air, which then fires up the object, causing it to glow and vaporize. Once it starts to glow, we call it a meteor.

 

"A typical meteor comes from an object the size of a grain of sand," said Gareth Williams of the Minor Planet Center. "This meteor will be a real humdinger in comparison!"

 

"We're eager for observations from astronomers near the asteroid's approach path. We really hope that someone will manage to photograph it," said Williams.

 

By Dan Vergano and Jess Zielinski

Photo: This artist's concept showd a massive asteroid belt in orbit around a star the same age and size as our sun. The asteroid heading for the Sudan is significantly smaller, so call off Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck. By T. Pyle, NASA/JPL Caltech

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cool!

 

[SeaLion]

Altså selv med en størrelse på et par meter vil den brenne opp i den øvre atmosfæren? Interessant. Jeg håper noen i Øst-Afrika får tatt noen bilder eller en videosnutt av fenomenet kvart på fire i natt, norsk tid.

[Slimda]

Litt tullete artikkel.

Det som er sensasjonellt er det faktum at vi har visst om dette FØR det har skjedd. Vanligvis skjer dette et par ganger i måneden.