Well Shit... THIS Explains Everything...

[WillyT]

Apophis Asteroid To Scrape Past Earth, Closer Than Any Known Object
First Posted: 12-18-09 05:26 PM | Updated: 12-18-09 05:44 PM

<snip>

Apophis, a 900-foot asteroid, was believed by scientists to have a greater than 2 percent chance of hitting earth.

Wired explains,

The asteroid appeared ready to give the Earth its closest shave since astronomers began looking for such things. It was judged a 4 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale for a short time, the highest rating any near-Earth object has received.

Scientists have since scaled back their predictions -- they now believe the odds of it crashing into earth are 1 in 250,000 -- but astronomers do expect it to come startlingly close to the earth's surface, whizzing past our planet just 18,300 miles away in April 2029.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has created a simulation of the asteroid's path past earth. See it in action (from Apophis' perspective) below.

<snip>

Link (w/Video): http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/18/apophis-asteroid-to-scrap_n_397680.html

2029 is the same year we're scheduled to finally get single payer. Coincidence... I think not.

:evilgrin:

[nebenaube]

1. You know it may miss...

but how much junk is orbiting it?

[DemoTex]

2. Oh, snap! A month too late for my 81st birthday party.

(Assuming I make it to April 2029)

[Uncle Joe]

3. Willy, I'm stealing your graph on the bottom for use on other threads.

:hi:

[WillyT]

4. It's All Yours !!!

:hi: