Refinement of the Orbit of Asteroid 99942 Apophis

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2004 MN4 is expected to reach 3rd magnitude for observers in Europe, Africa, and western Asia, where it will be visible to the unaided eye.

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http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/~ostro/mn4/
index.html

Now...some doom and gloom-sayers say that if it changes it's flight plan again like it did when they lost it...

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discovered in June 2004 and lost until it was rediscovered in December 2004

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it is close enough that it could crash into the earth in the next passing or the one after that...either way it's going to present a good show for those still around :D

Eg ;)

More reasons to keep the research money flowing into space.

Hi RoadClosed,

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Humans live in a vast solar system where 2,000 feet seems a razor-thin distance. Yet it's just wide enough to trigger concerns that an asteroid due to buzz Earth on April 13, 2029 may shift its orbit enough to return and strike the planet seven years later.

The concern: Within the object's range of possible fly-by distances lie a handful of gravitational "sweet spots," areas some 2,000 feet across that are also known as keyholes.

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http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science...roid-hit_x.htm
USATODAY.com - An asteroid, headed our way

The problem with this is...at this point...if it was to shift it's orbit...Nasa has no plan in action of stopping it from hitting the earth...as of yet.

Eg ;)


The Wikipedia has some good information but...I tend to take the Wiki with a grain of salt because anybody can edit it...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_MN4
99942 Apophis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Nasa has no plan in action of stopping it from hitting the earth

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Just get Bruce Willis revved up, and jobs a good 'un :D

Just in recent years, the last asteroid that went dangerously close to earth wasn't even detected until it was already past us. It's kind of funny in a dark way.