Apollo The Potato

Just as well, this potential Earth-mover is cruising
byStephen Cauchi
June 30, 2006

EARTH will have an unwelcome visitor in the neighbourhood on Monday, a precursor to an even more unpleasant visitor expected in 23 years.

What worries astronomers is that these near-Earth asteroids don't just pass Earth once, but repeatedly, and at a different distance each time. There were fears XP14 could hit Earth later this century, but studies of its orbit around the sun have ruled this out. Still, the asteroid — along with 782 others — has been classified as a "potentially hazardous asteroid" by the Minor Planet Centre in the US state of Massachusetts.

Astronomers will try to accurately measure the asteroid's size as it passes by, using NASA's radio telescope in California to bounce radar signals off its surface. Best current estimates of its size are between 410 and 920 metres, which makes this potato-shaped lump of rock about twice the height of the Eureka Tower, Melbourne's tallest building.

An impact with the Earth would be equivalent to hundreds of megatonne nuclear bombs being detonated simultaneously, enough to cause a continent-wide catastrophe.

There is a 1-in-38,000 chance that Apophis — also discovered in 2004 — will hit Earth when it passes again on April 13, 2006, according to NASA.

David Perlman, Chronicle Science Editor
Friday, June 30, 2006
Scientists say the rocky object, known as 2004XP14, poses no threat to the planet; it can't be seen by the naked eye. And because it is flying at a speed of nearly 11 miles a second -- nearly 4,000 mph -- it should prove an elusive target for even the best of amateur astronomers, even those armed with high-powered telescopes.

John Giorgini, an astronomer and analyst with NASA's Near Earth Object Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said the asteroid should be rising above the eastern portion of the northern horizon of the Bay Area at about 11 p.m. Monday. It will remain in the sky all night, he said, as it passes through the constellations Cassiopeia, Cepheus and Draco before the dawning sun washes out the dark night sky.

from space.com
Asteroid 2004 XP14 is a member of a class of asteroids known as Apollo, which have Earth-crossing orbits. The name comes from 1862 Apollo, the first asteroid of this group to be discovered. There are now 1,989 known Apollos.

When this old world starts getting me down
and people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
and all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
and there the world below can't bother me
Let's go, up on the roof.

Laura Nyro