# Rock or Rocket?



## Brian G Turner (Mar 18, 2004)

*Astronomers are watching a small object as it makes the closest approach to the Earth of any space rock yet discovered. *


Called 2004 FH it is estimated to be only 25m across. It was found by an automated sky survey on Tuesday. 

At 2208 GMT tonight it will pass just 43,000km from the Earth. There is no danger of a collision, say scientists. 

Such close approaches probably occur quite frequently but go unnoticed. If it were to strike the Earth it would burn-up in the atmosphere, say experts. 

*'Guaranteed miss'* 

The asteroid will make its closest approach while streaking over the southern Atlantic Ocean. It should be visible through binoculars to stargazers across the southern hemisphere, as well as throughout Asia and Europe. But it poses no danger. "It's a guaranteed miss," says astronomer Paul Chodas, of the near-Earth object office at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Astronomers around the world scrambled on Wednesday to prepare for the flyby, which could provide an unprecedented chance to get a close look at the asteroid. 


2004 FH was found by the Linear sky survey based in New Mexico. It immediately became clear it would pass very close by the Earth. 

Astronomers have not ruled out that the asteroid and our planet could meet again sometime in the future. Some experts have doubted that the object is a space rock suggesting that it could be a discarded rocket booster.


More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3523200.stm


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## littlemissattitude (Mar 18, 2004)

I said:
			
		

> "It's a guaranteed miss," says astronomer Paul Chodas, of the near-Earth object office at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.


Why, oh why, does this part of it make me nervous?   Could it be like how they kept saying that the Titanic was "unsinkable"?


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Mar 19, 2004)

Rendezvous with Rama revisited?


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