'Refrigerator-sized' asteroid may 'buzz-cut' Earth day before election, Neil deGrasse Tyson says

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Last edited Mon Oct 19, 2020, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: USA Today

A 6.5-foot asteroid will zoom past Earth just before Election Day but astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says it's nothing to worry about.

"Asteroid 2018VP1, a refrigerator-sized space-rock, is hurtling towards us at more than 40,000 km/hr. It may buzz-cut Earth on Nov 2, the day before the Presidential Election," he said.

NASA has previously said it has a 0.41% chance of entering our atmosphere.

"It’s not big enough to cause harm. So if the World ends in 2020, it won’t be the fault of the Universe," Tyson said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/refrigerator-sized-asteroid-may-buzz-cut-earth-day-before-election-neil-degrasse-tyson-says/ar-BB1aaLZu?li=BBnb7Kz

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None the less I think some people might try to say it's an omen.

On edit: It looks like Murdoch's NY Post is freaking out about this

https://nypost.com/2020/10/18/neil-degrasse-tyson-warns-asteroid-could-hit-earth-day-before-election/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Everything has a destination

Maybe an omen for somebody's abdomen?

[Marie Marie]

11. I'd prefer the groin.

[Hotler]

21. A shot to the grapes is always funny as long as they are not your grapes.

[jcgoldie]

2. What are the odds it lands on stage at a Trump rally?

I wouldn't be mad...

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. I think it's amazing that they are tracking things that small, millions of miles away

It's not news, of course, because it is 100% not going to affect anything. It's an interesting detail of how some really small things have been mapped in space.

[roamer65]

4. That one could take out a small city.

[Yeehah]

7. No, it couldn't

From the linked article:

"It currently has a 0.41% chance of entering our planet’s atmosphere, but if it did, it would disintegrate due to its extremely small size," NASA said.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. It Would Completely Evaporate Before 90,000 Feet Up

And those would be the chunks after shatter. Most of it wouldn't make it past 25 miles up.
Unless, of course this rock is aerodynamically designed! LOL!

[roamer65]

19. U guys are no fun.

I was hoping for some giant meteor.

All I get is one the size of a fridge.

[ProfessorGAC]

23. Harrumph!

My wife says I'm fun!

[roamer65]

24. I won't touch that one with a ten foot pole.

[LudwigPastorius]

5. I'm afraid somebody might be taking our little dark, humorous joke literally.

[NurseJackie]

6. Nonetheless...

... those people can be safely ignored.

[Baclava]

8. "NASA said it has a 0.41% chance of entering our atmosphere". So, you're saying there's a chance...

[ProfessorGAC]

10. A Chance Of Entering The Atmosphere, Yes!

I think we'd have to add about 200 zeroes between the decimal and the 4 to get the "chance" it would hit the surface!
As somebody else noted, the amazing thing is our tech allows us to see something the size of a big fridge that far away. That's awesome!

[Mendocino]

12. The Russian asteroid of 2013

was about 66 feet in diameter. It exploded causing some broken windows from shockwaves. There were with some injuries, no deaths.

[paleotn]

13. Somebody needs to put a guidance package

and some thrusters on that fridge. And I know the perfect target.

[Dem2theMax]

14. I applaud your post.

And I got a really good laugh out of it as well.

[C Moon]

15. I hope it's filled with cold beer!

[Evolve Dammit]

16. Hmm. Refrigerator sized? 45 is refrigerator sized. Seems like a perfect eraser of Orangeman.

[yardwork]

17. Do you think it's possible..... nah.

[Doc_Technical]

18. haiku time:

asteroid on the way
they said it's as big as a
refrigerator

[Demonaut]

20. tell two scoops it's a freezer full of ice cream

[generalbetrayus]

22. If this asteroid will make the Republican dinosaurs go extinct,

I'm all for it.