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Here we go again! Another object from outer space is heading towards planet earth.
I'm starting to loose count on the number of times we've heard this same sort of thing. The last time was Elenin. You remember, that killer Asteroid that never showed up. This time we don't even get to call it a "cool" name. It's just 2012 DA14. Boring! Perhaps we could call this one - "Death Star". Oh, wait. I think George Lucas took that name for Star Wars, Episode IV. So, I guess we're stuck with "2012 DA14".
The 60-meter asteroid, spotted by Spanish stargazers in February, will pass by Earth in 11 months from now. So, in February 2013, Hopefully 2012 DA14 will do its fly-by of just under 16,700 miles from our surface. This is closer than the geosynchronous orbit of some of our satellites and this is what is causing all the ruckus at NASA. Its trajectory will bring it very close to our planet, raising fears of a possible collision.
According to one of the NASA Experts, Dr. David Dunham, "there is a possibility the asteroid will collide with Earth, but further calculation is required to estimate the potential threat and work out how to avert possible disaster".
As far as "averting" the possible disaster, our NASA Experts have come up with two wonderful ideas. The first is to fly a spaceship directly into the asteroid - a head on collision, but since it will take a minimum of two years to construct this disposable spaceship and the asteroid will be here in 11 months - well, it just doesn't seem like a very viable option. So, moving on to #2. This is my personal favorite!
“We could paint it,” says NASA expert, David Dunham.
"Paint would affect the asteroid’s ability to reflect sunlight, changing its temperature and altering its spin. The asteroid would stalk off its current course, but this could also make the boulder even more dangerous when it comes back in 2056". This was according to Aleksandr Devaytkin, the head of the observatory in Russia’s Pulkovo.
Seriously, this has to be the all time favorite brain-fart. Even Hollywood could not think this one up or if they did, they would never put this on film. One thing is for sure, if it comes close to Los Angeles, someone is going to paint it - with their gang sign.
Whatever the mission, building a spaceship, to deal with 2012 DA14, will take two years – at least. So, I guess that leaves us with the old, "duck and cover" routine. I'm sure that will work just fine!
Should we really be concerned about 2012 DA14? Since NASA has recently experienced hefty budget cuts, if they were to have offered something realistic, then I would say "no", but a new paint job and playing bumper cars with an asteroid make me a little nervous.
If the asteroid were to hit the earth, the impact would be similar to the Siberian blast of 1908, that leveled huge trees over 830 square miles. This is about the size of Luxembourg.
One final note, the destination of the asteroid is not yet known.
Paint? Really?
