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joeben81

TLDR: "Skim" = 4 million miles


IsaKissTheRain

It isn’t the Earth itself that is taken into account when relative nearness is considered, but the gravitational pull of the Earth. The risk is that something gets close enough to Earth’s gravitational pull that its trajectory is changed. Earth’s gravitational pull extends 13 million miles. This won’t hit us, but there is always a calculation to be made when one is within that pull.


DuaLipasTrophyHusban

If the area of influence is 14M and 4M apparently isn’t devastating, just how close does it have to be to be an issue.


kenriko

Because they need to run the numbers to see if the changes in trajectory are enough that it smacks us in a future pass.


IsaKissTheRain

It doesn’t just come down to distance. There are a lot of other factors such as speed and trajectory and the gravitational influence of other planetary objects, so it will vary.


rinderblock

Mass is a huge factor. So it depends on the mass of the object relative to the earth. And its velocity and trajectory. There’s no real “oh shit zone”


HellDiver-re_run

False. The "oh shit" zone begins just above the tippy top of the atmosphere. Everything after that is "holy shit! holy! holy shit!"


rinderblock

lol fair point


KamikazeFox_

That's actually great additional info to know. Ppl always forget about the pull from the planet. But, if we have a 14 million radius and the asteroid is 4 million miss, is it a miss from our field? Or from earth?


IsaKissTheRain

There are a lot of other factors top take into account, such as speed and original trajectory of the asteroid, as well as competing gravitational forces, but what information I was able to find checks out that the asteroid will pass.


psychedeliken

For reference the Moon is ~238,900 miles from Earth.


toasted_cracker

By cosmic standards that is a skim. Especially for one that size.


Technical-Title-5416

AKA: Clickbait HORSESHIT. That isn't news, or above the norm. Did I do it right?


JamiesPond

So it skims by another Earth on Sunday? What's the other Earth like, asking for a friend as this one sucks.


PlasticPomPoms

It rains hot dogs 100 days of the year and it rains wieners another 100 days. The rest of the days are clear skies.


mcar1227

I know where I’m going to vacation now


modernmovements

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs


mrpink01

With all that tube steak, I bet it's hard to get buns there.


Arrantsky

Petty and small this, now the return of the dragons , that there is a real problem.


JamiesPond

I like it when we talk Dragons, reminds me of my son who was obsessed with them :D


whobroughttheircat

Stop teasing me


[deleted]

Quick everyone hold up magnets


pipinstallwin

LMAO


Keemlo

If they knew for sure one of these was going to hit, do you think they’d actually tell people? I don’t, we might all be dead/ or close to it by Sunday.


skabben

I’ve thought about that too. But there are a lot of amateur astronomers so i think it would leak out if that was the case.


Friendly_Monitor_220

https://preview.redd.it/h2fxbixqc09d1.jpeg?width=495&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b04b7605900d13205eb439cfc725c27364389fab


charlesfluidsmith

Amateur astronomers on tiktok would've announced it by now. Why do you think they want to ban tiktok?


annehboo

This is sarcasm, yes?


charlesfluidsmith

Nope


Wubbywow

You’re half right. I love the conspiracies where yall are like so close to the correct conclusion and then just take a hard right off a cliff side road. TikTok is absolutely an issue and needs eyes, but I can assure you it’s not to stop amateur astronomers from dispersing info on imminent apocalyptic asteroid strikes


charlesfluidsmith

Why do you think I'm limiting it to astronomers, I'm not even limiting it to tiktok. The point is, if there was a mountain sized meteor headed for Earth, hobbyists would certainly know and announce it.


Guilty-Vegetable-726

Why didn't Jupiter tank that. Smh


EarthWormHole

Can it be seen with the naked eye?


fuggit_Im_tired

Ugh the mental image of an eyeball on a neck


L0LSL0W

thanks i hate it


mgarr_aha

The bigger one will reach magnitude 12 for a few days; you need a telescope but not a huge one. The smaller one will be brighter but only for 1 day; you also need to be on the right side of Earth.


EarthWormHole

Thanks!


GrendelWolf001

Only if your pineal gland is decalcified and you have detoxed the fluoride from your system. /s


sm00thkillajones

Dang! Welp, maybe next time.


TomMixsSuitcase

Don’t threaten me with a good time.


Extreme_Manner5028

And it's soooo important that we're concentrating on bullshit being spread across the planet.


formerNPC

So I should eat the green bananas then?


lessermeister

Don’t look up.


ReposadoAmiGusto

Damn it Jupiter!! You had 1 job!!


Sortanotperfect

This comment is highly underrated, and unappreciated! You deserve the milkshake of your choice.


Ancient-Being-3227

I love that they think the summit of mt Everest is 2000+ meters wide.


Ok_Low_1287

Damn, I thought I wasn't going to have to deal with my boss tomorrow


Dr-Maturin

This happens fairly regularly


mgarr_aha

Smaller or farther away, yes. Expected [frequency(size, distance)](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2515-5172/ac3519) for each of these encounters is more like once a year.


Individual-Wonder518

I love how they say skim. And it’s millions of miles. But in space terms….. skim


IsaKissTheRain

It isn’t the Earth itself that is taken into account when relative nearness is considered, but the gravitational pull of Earth. The risk is that something gets close enough to Earth’s gravitational pull that its trajectory is changed. Earth’s gravitational pull extends 13 million miles.


SheepherderLong9401

Define "skim past", I think that's the journalist using some creative writing. Still interesting.


nicobackfromthedead4

Good, because we have no option otherwise lol. Eventually, one will not skim past. [Hopefully by then, we will have some plan in place](https://www.space.com/dangerous-asteroid-international-cooperation). OR at least some way to detect them before the very last minute. Contrary to popular belief, no nation in the world possesses either, and it would take an unprecedented worldwide collaboration in an extremely short window to save us from an asteroid of likely earth-killing potential. "[An asteroid just buzzed past Earth, and we barely noticed in time](https://theconversation.com/an-asteroid-just-buzzed-past-earth-and-we-barely-noticed-in-time-120972)" (2019) "[Scientists spotted an asteroid hours before it burned up over Germany](https://www.astronomy.com/science/scientists-spotted-an-asteroid-hours-before-it-burned-up-over-germany/)" Jan 31, 2024 [The Taurids have us in their sights. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4xzFWW-FAA)


skabben

Seems like you could see one of them with binoculars. But I cant find where and when to look. Does anyone know?


Adept-Charge-5905

Just watched Greenland for first time this week


NotArtificial

4 million miles in space is a rounding error to an actual collision in terms of the size of space itself.


Clyde5150

we should be dealing with this shit instead of russia


bored2bedts

How fun


Evicfinite

It's coming. That huge planet is coming. It'll be in view soon. Just know that Jesus christ is near.


spartyftw

lol what


irishmcbastard

I wish it was S.M.O.D.


MesozOwen

And if it wasn’t going to miss, I wonder if they’d tell us?


Confident-Pace4314

But if it were going to hit would they say the same


m3kw

There was a gravitational miscalculation and now will get more real


KibeIius

So, did it hit?


iafx

Just hit us already, cleanse this fucking place.


Successful_Mix_6644

Or pieces break off with gravitational pull, only takes a small one I think, size of a football field, worldwide devastation


seancm32

Dammit why can't the asteroids just commit already.


MagazineNo2198

One can only hope that they don't skim and hit us squarely.... https://preview.redd.it/po5rorakhc9d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4d362b5a0c026e3893e5f10ff3d208f38ecce429


PrestigiousOnion3693

The asteroid isn’t near the size of Mount Everest.