Rhune
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Re: Asteroid Tracking Website
« Reply #1 on: Jul 30th, 2002, 10:42am » |
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PASADENA, California (AP) -- Astronomers said Monday they have determined that a newly discovered, 1.2-mile-wide asteroid will miss the Earth in 2019.
Last week, preliminary calculations of the orbital path traveled by asteroid 2002 NT7 suggested the space rock had about a 1-in-250,000 chance of plowing into the Earth on February 1, 2019. Such an impact would cause devastation on a continental scale.
Follow-up observations during the weekend showed the asteroid and the Earth won't meet -- at least for now, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Astronomers initially calculated at least seven potential impact dates beginning in 2019. Only one -- February 1, 2060 -- has yet to be ruled out, but astronomers expect to dismiss that threat as well after more observations of the asteroid are made.
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