Massive Asteroid About the Size of 69 American Alligators Will Pass by Earth

[Nevilledog]

https://www.sciencetimes.com/articles/42806/20230314/massive-asteroid-size-69-american-alligators-will-pass-earth-tuesday.htm


Another huge space rock is heading our way today. According to a new report, the massive asteroid will safely pass by Earth.

Massive Asteroid Is Approaching Earth

A supermassive asteroid about the size of almost 69 American alligators will be flying close by our planet Tuesday based on NASA's asteroid tracker, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The asteroid in question is named 2023 CM, according to the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The outlet noted that the metric used is the total length and not a specific part of the gator's body.

The space rock has an estimated diameter of 320 meters. Hindustan Times added that the asteroid is 590 feet wide. The Jerusalem Post added that the mass of gators could weigh around 31, 050 kilograms and the odds of 2023 CM being heavier than that is high.

NASA JPL estimates the asteroid will fly around 4 million kilometers away from the Earth. Although the distance is a bit close on a cosmic level, the moon is still much closer, on average 384,000 kilometers away from our planet.

Fortunately, it won't hit our planet. However, if it does, it could ruin a continent, flatten a structure, and trigger earthquakes, tectonic shifts, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and even forest fires.

*snip*


Yeah, it missed us, but the article made me giggle.

[Tanuki]

1. Interesting unit of measurement! I wonder how many smoots

that would be?

[markodochartaigh]

6. I think that the metric equivalent for measuring asteroids

is Nile crocodiles. Personally I prefer the ancient Maya system of asteroid measurement which used the spectacled caiman.

[robbob]

9. Yeah, really...

1.5 elephants? 5,000 ducks? Be more specific…😂

[grantcart]

21. Insulin units are calculated to equal the amount of insulin needed

To reduce a rabbits sugar by 2.5 mmo/l
😂

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

32. The mass of ducks is not used in astrophysics, ...

... but is the gold standard for detecting witches.

[tblue37]

38. Americans will use any kind of measurement to avoid using the metric system!

[EX500rider]

2. Yes when discussing space objects...

.... The first thing I wonder is how many alligators is that?
😆

[Sogo]

3. I want to have the job of thinking up comparisons like

"....about the size of almost 69 American alligators..."

[Mister Ed]

4. That's a weird unit of measure. Could you convert it to Corgi's for me? n/t

[meadowlander]

14. The rest of the world more sensibly measures in crocodiles.

[LudwigPastorius]

5. I have to wonder...

what these science writers are smoking sometimes.


...and how many ocelots a pound of it costs.

[Happy Hoosier]

7. Americans will use ANY system of measurement to avoid the metric system.

[BComplex]

22. I'm definitely one of those Americans.

But I'm old and cranky, so I don't actually have a say in anything anymore.

[Happy Hoosier]

30. As an engineer, I'm so frustrated.

I mean, you learn by using it. Everyone knows what 2 liters looks like by now. Because we use it.

I'm sick of having to deal with 5280 feet in a mile unless it's a NAUTICAL mile, when it's 6076.12 feet. Yes, .12!!!!! Which works out to 1.44 inches. The .44 doesn't work out to convenient base 8 fraction.

In Metric, 1000 meters = 1 kilometer. Easy peasy. Can do conversions in your head. Less like to make a mistake that makes a plane crash.

[Beastly Boy]

8. Alligators, take note:

Just 69 of you can "ruin a continent, flatten a structure, and trigger earthquakes, tectonic shifts, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and even forest fires", if only you try hard enough.

Just imagine what 70 of you can do!

[Polybius]

10. They just wanted to say 69

They could have easily said 100 humans instead.

[BlueSpot]

11. Is it weight or distance?

What are the alligators doing?

[newdayneeded]

12. Asteroid barreling toward earth,

I live in the great lake states, with minutes until impact I'm frantically googling the average size of an alligator..calculator near by to do the gazintas once the size is found...

[central scrutinizer]

13. What's its velocity?

In cubits per scaramucci?

[Talitha]

19. **snort**

[Shellback Squid]

15. seriously, alligators?

[Retrograde]

16. How big is the standard alligator?

I've seen them from 6" to over 6 feet.

[oasis]

17. Sounds like a croc to me.

[Emile]

28. +1

[keithbvadu2]

18. Is that a metric alligator?

[BWdem4life]

20. Graphic:

[Conjuay]

23. I'd love to know

how many walruses that would be.

Is there an exchange rate?

[betsuni]

24. That was just so they could say "See you later, alligator" when it passed the planet. Nerds.

[PCIntern]

25. "69" eh.....? Hmmmm.

Someone was having some adolescent fun.

[Buns_of_Fire]

26. From little green men to big green alligators. It sounds like

they're not bothering to send their best anymore.

Either way, "Alligatornado" has been thwarted. Good work, team.

[robbob]

35. Shouldn't that be Alligateroid?

Coming soon to a theatre near you! 😂

[panader0]

27. It's expected to fly past the earth in 4 and one half Scaramuccis.

[ProfessorGAC]

29. This Thread Turned Out Hilarious

Some great & funny comments here!
Thanks for the laughs, folks.
My fave, so far: "cubits per Scaramucci"

[Tom Rinaldo]

31. So, not only could it have "ruined a continent", but it also could have "flattened a structure"?

Ya think? What a great headline! How long before a gator becomes a standard unit of measurement?

[Nevilledog]

37. And cause a forest fire.

[Iggo]

41. Now ain't soon enough!

[edhopper]

34. Looks like it hit us

[Iggo]

42. .

[Renew Deal]

36. How does that translate to Brazilian crocodiles?

[hack89]

39. A brazilian is a much larger number than 69. nt

[Iggo]

43. 69...brazilian...too...many...jokes...

beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep…

[sarisataka]

40. A satellite was able to get a close up photo as it passed

[friend of a friend]

44. What I like is when they said the whole alligator, not just one part.

Okay, what part of an alligator did you just think of?

[ThoughtCriminal]

45. Classes of asteroid sizes for U.S. standards of measurement

Washing machines
School Buses
Football Stadiums
Manhattan
Rhode Island
We're F'd
Iowa
Texas