When Apophis Threatened the Earth!

[IMForeman]

I thought it might be cool to share this all the Gaters. In late 2004, a Near-Earth asteroid called 2004 NMH had it's orbit plotted, and started causing some concern that it might hit the Earth in 2029. The news was all over it at the time, conjuring up doomsday scenarios, and whatnot. Scientists recalculated the orbital information, and found that, in fact, it was not going to hit Earth or the moon anytimes soon, and the story fell from the limelight.

Well, because it's orbit was sufficiently calculated, it was given the permanant number 99942, and opened up for Naming. The name it received in June of 2005 was Apophis.

Granted, it was named after the mythical Apophis, and not the Goa'uld version, but it's still kind of cool, innit?

-IMF

[Eoin]

I thought it might be cool to share this all the Gaters. In late 2004, a Near-Earth asteroid called 2004 NMH had it's orbit plotted, and started causing some concern that it might hit the Earth in 2029. The news was all over it at the time, conjuring up doomsday scenarios, and whatnot. Scientists recalculated the orbital information, and found that, in fact, it was not going to hit Earth or the moon anytimes soon, and the story fell from the limelight.

Well, because it's orbit was sufficiently calculated, it was given the permanant number 99942, and opened up for Naming. The name it received in June of 2005 was Apophis.

Granted, it was named after the mythical Apophis, and not the Goa'uld version, but it's still kind of cool, innit?

-IMF

lol...its a conspiracy, it was really the last of the goa'uld fleeing from the jaffa who are attacking them, the jaffa must have knocked out the hyperdrive on the goa'uld'd ship and now there using sublight engines to escape the jaffa. And they will pass earth in 2029.

[_Owen_]

Lol, that is very cool. I have never even heard, of that, not sure why. Lol, maybe they are just saying it was named after the mythological Apophis, but are really just big fans of Stargate!

Owen Macri

[nimitz]

That is pretty cool.

[_Owen_]

Ya, lol. very cool.

Owen Macri

[cozzerob]

Of course they were fans of stargate... what sort of ppl would name an asteroid apophis if they weren't stargate fans. Don't astronomers prefer longwinded names like hail-bopppy the fifth, etc, etc, etc.

Besides, there are SG fans everywhere...

[_Owen_]

They are scientists, it is against the law for them not to like Stargate!

Owen Macri

[Colonel Sharp]

I thought it might be cool to share this all the Gaters. In late 2004, a Near-Earth asteroid called 2004 NMH had it's orbit plotted, and started causing some concern that it might hit the Earth in 2029. The news was all over it at the time, conjuring up doomsday scenarios, and whatnot. Scientists recalculated the orbital information, and found that, in fact, it was not going to hit Earth or the moon anytimes soon, and the story fell from the limelight.

Well, because it's orbit was sufficiently calculated, it was given the permanant number 99942, and opened up for Naming. The name it received in June of 2005 was Apophis.

Granted, it was named after the mythical Apophis, and not the Goa'uld version, but it's still kind of cool, innit?

-IMF

Shoot, you got to it before me, I have it pinned up on my bulliton board and forgot about it but I laughed when I was it, I geuss scientists even watch Stargate!

[nicedog]

Whoever discovers it gets to name it. If you were to discover a NEO what would you name it ?

[_Owen_]

Owen Macri! Yep, that's it. Oh, wait no, maybe I would name it after every one in my family. Ya, but I have a huge family, just the Acronym would take up a couple pages.

Owen Macri

[Seastallion]

This month's issue of Popular Mechanics is about the asteroid dubbed, Apophis. In the article they said it probably wouldn't strike us in 2029, although it would come within 20,000 miles of the Earth. That is closer than some of our communications satellites! The article also said that it would be the first known asteroid in human history to come close enough to the Earth to be visible to the naked human eye. It will be visible in Europe, Western Asia, and Africa before it moves on. Sounds like it'll be worth booking a flight in 2029 to see it..!

On the other hand... There is a chance, however slight, that the asteroid could come back 7 years later to hit the Earth anyways..! Granted, it is a 1 in 45,000 chance, but still that is far better than your odds in winning a lottery. It all comes down to if the Earth's gravitational pull 'tugs' the asteroid just right so that it leaves in just the right angle to go around the sun and back to the Earth (taking 7 years). It is estimated that if it hits it would strike with the force of 65,000 Hiroshima atomic bombs..! Apparently not enough to destroy the Earth or even humanity necessarily, but absolutely enough to do some serious damage world over.

There are ideas that we might use nukes to divert its flight path. Or something. Either way, we have 22 (or 29) years to figure it out. This is a very strong reason to support the space programs. Some people want to ignore the space programs, saying we should give all that money to the sick and poor. What good is all that gonna do the sick and poor if they are all dead because of an asteroid strike? Then of course, that isn't even to mention all the things the space program has given us already. Satellite television, Microwave ovens, MRI scanning, and other spin-offs of the space age. What future innovations might we see if we continue still?

[FallenAngelII]

I direct you to this:
http://forum.gateworld.net/showthrea...51#post5987251

[.jolinar.]

I thought it might be cool to share this all the Gaters. In late 2004, a Near-Earth asteroid called 2004 NMH had it's orbit plotted, and started causing some concern that it might hit the Earth in 2029. The news was all over it at the time, conjuring up doomsday scenarios, and whatnot. Scientists recalculated the orbital information, and found that, in fact, it was not going to hit Earth or the moon anytimes soon, and the story fell from the limelight.

Well, because it's orbit was sufficiently calculated, it was given the permanant number 99942, and opened up for Naming. The name it received in June of 2005 was Apophis.

Granted, it was named after the mythical Apophis, and not the Goa'uld version, but it's still kind of cool, innit?

-IMF

Dude...did you say 'init'!? CHAV.
Its a cover up.

[jds1982]

I direct you to this:
http://forum.gateworld.net/showthrea...51#post5987251

Yup was already a thread on this not too long ago.

[Seastallion]

I direct you to this:
http://forum.gateworld.net/showthrea...51#post5987251

Actually, THIS thread is older than that one. This thread was started in August of last year. The thread you directed me to was just started this month. I didn't see it, but instead of starting a new thread, I used the search function. Obviously, the newby that started the other thread did NOT.