New Delhi:
Doomsday on Feb 4? Oh yes may be! Scientists at National Aeronautics and Space Administration predicted cold, darkness and skies choked with shoot and misery across the planet on this day.
According to NASA, asteroid 2002 AJ129 will not hit Earth. Also, its is said that it will get no closer than 2.6 million miles from Earth, despite NASA's scary-sounding classification of the rock as "potentially hazardous" - a term which the Mail has paired with horrific illustrations of an asteroid careening straight into the planet.
On the other hand the Daily Star mocked up a depiction of the asteroid bearing down on Hyde Park. If you loaded up Google on Sunday morning and clicked "News," you'd be greeted by a picture of AJ129 boiling away an ocean, beside the headline, "Doomsday?"
In response to several questions, asteroid 2002 AJ129 will safely pass Earth on Feb. 4. At closest approach, it will be at a distance of 2.6 million miles / 4.2 million km -- over 10 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. More: https://t.co/ZhYzOXRSfP pic.twitter.com/baJhxv2Dzj
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
A concerned citizen sent NASA a link to a report that the asteroid was on a collision course to kill us all, and asked why the agency wasn't talking about it.
"Because it's a lie," NASA tweeted.
NASA has explained that when AJ129 passes closest to Earth next month, it will still be 10 times farther from us than the moon. And while the headlines are comparing it to the world's tallest building, it could be as big as two-thirds of a mile across, or as small as about 500 yards.
"We have been tracking this asteroid for over 14 years and know its orbit very accurately," NASA manager Paul Chodas wrote for the agency. "Asteroid 2002 AJ129 has no chance - zero - of colliding with Earth on Feb. 4 or any time over the next 100 years."
Asteriod AJ129 was in headlines few weeks back, the Daily Mail was warning about a truck-sized asteroid "set to make a 'close' approach with Earth in HOURS." It passed by harmlessly.
TWITTER REACTION:
In response to several questions, asteroid 2002 AJ129 will safely pass Earth on Feb. 4. At closest approach, it will be at a distance of 2.6 million miles / 4.2 million km -- over 10 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. More: https://t.co/ZhYzOXRSfP pic.twitter.com/baJhxv2Dzj
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
All safe. It crosses above Earth's orbital path the first time, and Earth isn't in that spot at this time. Earth is in the lower section of the orbit animation and at closest approach the asteroid is 2.6 million miles away. The future orbit trajectory also shows no risk.
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
In response to several questions, asteroid 2002 AJ129 will safely pass Earth on Feb. 4. At closest approach, it will be at a distance of 2.6 million miles / 4.2 million km -- over 10 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. More: https://t.co/ZhYzOXRSfP pic.twitter.com/baJhxv2Dzj
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
That's already taken into account, as well as the gravity of other bodies in the solar system.
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
In response to several questions, asteroid 2002 AJ129 will safely pass Earth on Feb. 4. At closest approach, it will be at a distance of 2.6 million miles / 4.2 million km -- over 10 times the distance between Earth and the Moon. More: https://t.co/ZhYzOXRSfP pic.twitter.com/baJhxv2Dzj
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
It will be a safe pass of the moon, too. We calculate asteroid trajectories not only for the proximity to Earth, but also the moon and other planets.
— Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 19, 2018
