Fifty Meter Asteroid Might Hit Earth In 2098

eldavojohn writes "The Bad Astronomer brings word of an asteroid discovered with a tiny chance of hitting Earth. While it's only 50 meters wide, it could have the impact of a 20 megaton bomb. It's still twenty million miles away so if it hits us, it won't happen until 2098. The real story here is how a remarkable telescope, dubbed Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System, that went operational in May found its first potential target in our growing impact alert system for Earth."

WOLF WOLF WOLF

[peter303]

If the astronomers issue press releases like this every month, what happens when an asteroid really comes close?

Re:Nothing new...

[Grishnakh]

It's this kind of short-term thinking that will result in the destruction of the human race.

Re:Is it REALLY that bad?

[John Hasler]

That test was an air burst. In any case a nuclear weapon delivers its energy as heat while a meteorite delivers its as kinetic energy so the effects are not going to be the same even when the energy is.

Re:Is it REALLY that bad?

[Grishnakh]

Depends on where it hits. A single 50 megaton nuclear bomb doesn't really do much to the earth, long term. Obviously, the Soviet bomb hasn't had any lasting environmental impacts worldwide. However, they exploded that bomb near the Arctic Circle in an unpopulated, desolate place. If it had been in the middle of Hawaii, that probably wouldn't be much of a vacation spot now.

A 20Mt asteroid hitting in the middle of the ocean would be a big and interesting event, but nothing to be too concerned about. However, a 20Mt asteroid hitting in the middle of Washington D.C. would affect human history in a big way (whether for better or worse is debatable; I'd miss the Smithsonian museums personally).

Not as impressive as it sounds

[DerekLyons]

From the summary:

" While it's only 50 meters wide, it could have the impact of a 20 megaton bomb."

Which sounds impressive - until you realize just how empty the Earth really is. Across probably 80% of the Earth, a 20 meg explosion will produce few (if any) casualties. Doubly so since that size range is likely to breakup and deposit most of it's energy in the upper atmosphere.
 
Phil, you've done lots of good stuff, but you're just reaching for the hits and ad impressions with this one.

A catalyst for world peace

[cryfreedomlove]

Today countries all over the world cling to ethnic and religious differences as primary societal foundations. As long as that is true we will have never ending war. This asteroid is a gift of a single unifying foundation for all of humankind to unite around. Working together to deflect this asteroid will diminish those cherished divisions along ethnic and religious lines. Once we are done, the young generations will see no reason to go back to hating each other.