Fergie's Tech Blog

Close pass by asteroid in 2029 may provide valuable data

A Bloomberg newswire article, via The Houston Chronicle, reports that:

Scientists will be able to see how the Earth's gravity changes the spin of an asteroid that will pass by in 2029, which may help them figure out how to deflect similar objects that might threaten the planet, a study says.

The 1,312-foot wide asteroid Apophis should come within 24,000 miles of Earth when it passes by the planet on April 13, 2029, giving astronomers the opportunity to observe how the Earth's gravitational pull affects its orbit, according to the study, written by University of Michigan professor Daniel Scheeres and colleagues.

There is evidence that an asteroid collision in the Yucatan Peninsula may have caused the extinction of dinosaurs, and many scientists fear another strike is inevitable. NASA could place equipment on the surface of Apophis to study its interior and figure out how to deflect it, Scheeres said.

posted by Fergie @ 8/21/2005 06:54:00 AM