Space rock found on collision course with Earth
For the first time, astronomers have found an object on a certain collision course with Earth. Fortunately, it is so small it is not expected to cause any damage, burning up in the atmosphere somewhere above northern Sudan in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. It may, however, produce a brilliant ’shooting star’.
The space rock, dubbed 2008 TC3, was first spotted on Monday…
If it disintegrates all at once, it would produce a bright flash of light and a loud sonic boom, says Chesley.
This space rock is so small it is unlikely to cause any damage. “The only concern is that [the explosions] might be interpreted as something else, that is man-made explosions. Thus in this case, the earlier the public worldwide is aware that this is a natural phenomenon, which involves no risk, the better,” Milani’s team wrote on a popular astronomy listserv.
Space rock found on collision course with Earth - space - 06 October 2008 - New Scientist Space
admin @ October 6, 2008
