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Huge Asteroid Will Zip By Earth in November

Astronomers excited about close-up look

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted May 5, 2011 3:53 PM CDT | Updated May 7, 2011 11:20 AM CDT

(Newser) – A massive space rock will fly by Earth in November, and astronomers already are jazzed about getting a rare close-up view, reports Universe Today. The asteroid, named 2005 YU55, is about the size of an aircraft carrier and will come within about 200,000 miles of Earth on November 8, notes Space.com. Asteroids of this size have come as close before, but scientists have never been as technologically prepared to zoom in as they are now.

This type of asteroid is "thought to be representative of the primordial materials from which our solar system was formed," says a NASA scientist. "This flyby will be an excellent opportunity to test how we study, document, and quantify which asteroids would be most appropriate for a future human mission." And don't worry: It "poses no threat of an Earth collision over, at the very least, the next 100 years." Click to read about another nearby asteroid.

A file photo of the asteroid Eros. It's not the one that's coming in November, which has the tamer name of 2005 YU55. (AP Photo/NASA)

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Showing 3 of 14 comments

boxcar

May 5, 2011 10:02 PM CDT

Are these the same NASA scientists/engineers who can't figure out what causes runaway Toyotas? When Rhonda Smith testified "God Intervened" to slow her runaway Toyota as she Cell Phoned her husband, did any NASA scientist think to ask her "What number did you dial?" Avionic engineers such as I know that Cell Phones emit RF of a 7"halfwave length where a 7"conductor protruding into a cockpit would intercept the signal (can we say Cruise Control Turn Signal Arm) leading to CPU control of Cruiise Control where fuzzy logic can't do 911mph, but it can do international signal of 112mph. These people don't have a CLUE- we are in BIG TROUBLE on this one

TIII

May 5, 2011 5:34 PM CDT

Are these the same people who said Osama was armed? No? Good. wait, it is?

cornelison

May 5, 2011 5:33 PM CDT

We can't see the asteroids coming from behind the sun's light.

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Huge Asteroid Will Zip By Earth in November

Astronomers excited about close-up look

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

NASA • space exploration • Earth • asteroid • 2005 YU55

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