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From: mveh2@cbnews.ATT.COM (edward.holdgate.iv)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Asteroid/Earth Close Encounter
Message-ID: <5954@cbnews.ATT.COM>
Date: 26 Apr 89 16:08:09 GMT
References: <101062@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 22

From article <101062@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>, by mae@vygr.Sun.COM (Mike Ekberg, Sun {GPD-LEGO}):
> I heard a TV news teaser two days ago that mentioned
> something about an asteroid coming close to the
> earth recently. Haven't heard anything about it
> since.
> 
> Near is a relative term. I assume the odds a good-sized
> asteroid striking the earth in the near future is 
> (ahem) astronomical. Does any space organization watch for 
> such things? or is it not worth bothering about?
> 

This week's TIME magazine has an article that says this asteroid passed
the earth at a distance twice as far as the earth-moon distance.  It
also indicates that we would be lucky to get one days warning (let alone
enough time to break it up or redirect it.)  Furthermore, it will make 
another close pass in about 30 (?) more years.

Follow-ups to sci.space...
#					Ed Holdgate
# standard disclaimers apply...		AT&T Network Systems, MVW
#					att!mvgpd!mveh2