Asteroid "Toutatis4179": September Surprise?

[Arkaine]

One thing I have yet to see mentioned on this forum is an Asteroid named Toutatis. It is going to make a very close pass by the Earth in mid 2004. It will pass by less than 3 lunar distances. Toutatis is the size of Manhattan island and has a very unique compisition. It is two pieces of rock held together by a thin material. I think that a piece could split off the main asteroid and impact the earth or possibly the moon. I have heard almost nothing about this asteroid on T.V. or any where else. What are your thoughts on this?

[Me]

|I Where did you here that? That is just dumb. If any thing were even to come close we have anti-metor weapons. They have like HUGE solar panels and absorb the sun's rays and fire them back in a beam. That would stop any dumb asteroid.:evil: :evil: ;)

[Susie]

I saw a programme (Horizon on BBC2 i think) on the big solar panel thingy, but it's just a theory. I don't think they have anything that could actually deflect an asteroid. And also i thought the programme was really crap and badly researched. What do you mean by 'thin material' holding it together?

[furry]

Has this asteroid ever past that close before?

[armageddononline]

Here's a Nasa page about it: www-a.jpl.nasa.gov/releas...tatis.html (http://www-a.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/96/toutatis.html)

What Arkaine said is pretty accurate, the highlights are:
"In 2004, Toutatis will pass only four lunar distances from Earth, closer than any known Earth-approaching object expected to pass by in the next 60 years."

"Toutatis poses no significant threat to Earth, at least for a few hundred years"

"Discovered in 1989 and named after a Celtic god, the asteroid Toutatis has dimensions of 4.6 by 2.4 by 1.9 kilometers (2.9 by 1.5 by 1.2 miles). It is considered one of the strangest bodies in the Solar System, given its peculiar rotation and odd shape, which resembles two chunks of rock connected by a narrow neck-like structure. The rocky body's strange traits are believed to be the result of a history of violent collisions. "

As for destroying asteroids what do you suggest Susie. A great big nuke?

[SkidMark01]

I believe we have to deal with the fact that yes, there are alot of asteroids out there, and I guess we are lucky that we have not been hit in recent times...It may be a million years before that happens, but thanks for the info about this Toutatis Asteroid.....Never heard of it before now...Yes, it is passing close, but will hear about it on the news after it has passed.....

[me]

This links with the Great Pyramid propohecy.
2004 is significant

[mrwoodchuck61]

Tautatis is due to pass Sept. 29, 2004. It has a highly unpredictable quality to it's orbit in that it rotates in all 3 axises, and has an almost peanut like shape so plotting it's exact orbit is extremely difficult. There is always a small probability, of an impact occurring, if it was to happen there would be little to no chance to divert or deflect it. Tautatis' mass if it hit the planet would be devastating to say the least.

[armageddononline]

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>It has a highly unpredictable quality to it's orbit in that it rotates in all 3 axises, and has an almost peanut like shape so plotting it's exact orbit is extremely difficult[/quote]
They know nearly exactly where it'll pass on one day more than a year away, it can't be too hard to calculate :p I read some Nasa page aobut a computer model they have of it that allows them to do these calculations very accurately (I hope).

Anyway, welcome back Mr Woodchuck

[mrwoodchuck61]

You miss understood they know what day it will pass on yes but the distance from the planet and the +/- accuracy of that distace is scary news. I've read varying reports that put it passing at 4 times the distance of the earth to the moon with and accuracy of +/- 6 time the distance between the earth and the moon so that's what it passing about a million miles away plus or minus 1.5 million miles as a margin of error so we have a 3 million mile line on which the earth takes up only around 8000 miles of.

[furry]

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>what it passing about a million miles away plus or minus 1.5 million miles as a margin of error so we have a 3 million mile line on which the earth takes up only around 8000 miles of[/quote] that is scary mrwoodchuck! I guess the next question is what is the width of gravitation field that could pull tautatis into our atmosphere and how far away from the earth will it pass that critical point.

[armageddononline]

Hmm well Nasa seem to pretty confident we're safe, and in the absense of anyone who knows better than them I'll trust them :D

[mrwoodchuck61]

NASA was pretty confident that the shuttle was not damaged last time that they refused to assess the possible damage to the heat shielding on the Columbia. Just remember the people at NASA are still just people and mistakes can happen.

[concerned highschool student]

i wouldnt trust things NASA says about world ending events they know more than they want you to and if they know something they dont want panic am i right???

[armageddononline]

Anyone with a big enough telescope can see the asteroid and, if they could be bothered, do the maths. It isn't impossible to check Nasa so they can't just say anything. And even if it's already certain we will all die, why worry when you can't do anything about it?

Seriously, you're vastly more likely to be killed in a car crash

[planetbarb]

Hi ALL Close Approach Itokawa, etc. just data, to do with as you will. RE Asteroids in June and July 2004. So far I don't see any red alerts on Totino Scale 1-10 or any out-front signal of a possible collision. I honestly don't know what the situation is. Check out the data for yourselves to be on the safe side. I'm not expert. Here is link for NASA Close Approaches table,
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/ca/
Note: June 26th, Close Approach Itokawa, 54143 (1998 SF 36)
Note there is the close approach Sept, of Toutatis not listed here.
Itokawa NASA page http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?rec=25143
Pls note http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?rec=54509
54509 (2000 PH5) this is not Itokawa, and click on months, go to July then clock on hours, and go hour by hour in July 25th you will see this: 0.0117 AU from earth. Lower than what is posted on their chart.
An excerpt from the close approaches page, NASA.

25143 (1998 SF36) 2004-Jun-26 0.0129 5.0 450 m - 1.0 km 6.12
2003 YN107 2004-Jul-10 0.0599 23.3 15 m - 34 m 2.36
1999 MN 2004-Jul-11 0.0170 6.6 130 m - 280 m 15.26
2001 OY13 2004-Jul-14 0.0635 24.7 190 m - 430 m 13.40
2003 YS117 2004-Jul-23 0.1350 52.5 660 m - 1.5 km 18.12
54509 (2000 PH5) 2004-Jul-25 0.0128 5.0 84 m - 190 m 7.21

Barbara Lou Townsend

[planetbarb]

2004-Sep-29 13:36 < 00:01 4.0/0.0104 4.03/0.01036 11.00 1.1e6 15.30 1169* 25314 A/98 4179 Toutatis
undefined
You have to scroll waay-aay down to find TOUTAKIS Names are entered to far right of screen, so need to scroll way over there too. Toukakis will be there about four times. On left it shows Sept 29 2004 date and in there is the 4 lunar distances. Nasa is keeping an eye on this thing, along with Itokawa and others, I think NASA does post info. They don't go out of their way to create a panic. Somewhere on a NASA site they were talking about the factor which causes an asteroid to veer to the earth. Well, all I'm saying is June 25 July 26027 Sept 29th, it may be a good idea to just have it together, not be on an ocean cruise or near the coastlines. Some kind of short "bugout" out of cities and away from ocean, with some food, water and gas...I have no idea if these will hit there are like 4-5 NASA is watching. Where would only be a mater of a short warning. No use being fearful or apathetic either one. If possible to stash away some food water, and cans of gas etc. in vehicle and get out for awhile good idea. Not to totally wreck life and quit job, just a one-two days off.
Barbara Lou Townsend

[planetbarb]

RE TOUTAKIS
This is the NASA the sort- by - name link, for Future Close Approaches
http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/neo_ca?sort=name
I forgot to include this in my last post, Toutakis,
You have to scroll way down and way on right to find Toutakis. Toutakis will be entered about five times, consecutively. The 2004 one is about the second one. Waaaay on left is date, it's not really handy to even find it. As I posted before there are asteroids close approaches previous to Toutakis, like June 26, July 26 etc.

Barbara Lou Townsend
L.A. CA

[Bigsky770]

- - -Wonderful to have you, just to let yah know, there was a double of the first post, so I removed the former.
- - -I am glad you had raised this one, though it's been discussed before, it's quite pertinent in that the time of it's 'close approach' is up-and-coming.
- - -What makes it so difficult to determine the proper flight-path of this particular asteroid is BECAUSE of its' odd shape (have heard myself description(s) of it looking like an "odd" potato to a "dumbell" myself) is that "Toutatis" has TWO centers of rotation, in plain-speak it has been likened to a badly-fumbled Football pass in that it is 'tumbling' end-over-end.
- - -If you could 'stand' upon the surface of 'toutatis', the stars in the sky would be in different positions, you would never see the same 'sky' twice. . .
- - -I do MUCH surfing on the 'net' and have heard, (though I cannot confirm) that ONE individual had done calculations that there was a 63% probability that we would be struck by this asteroid, which would be nothing short of cataclysmic in consideration of its' size, which has been likened to a 'small city'.
- - -At a distance of WITHIN 4 L.D. (4 Lunar Distances) which is a 'near miss' by any standards/COMBINED with the fact that this body has such queer flight characteristics, I'd say it's certainly a cause for concern. Even WITH a 'miss', its' a certainty, we're going to be seeing this one. Sans binoculars.
:eek:

Joe (Bigsky770)

[Bigsky770]

- - -This much. Hans (dutchie) sent me the link to this article yesterday. . . Since the "link" ALSO has animation and other info, will be back shortly with this link so everyone may follow. . . .

Toutatis
Asteroid 4179



In 1989, asteroid 4179 was discovered by French astronomers and named after a Celtic god that was the protector of the tribe in ancient Gaul. Its eccentric, four-year orbit extends from just inside Earth's orbit to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The plane of Toutatis's orbit is closer to the plane of the Earth's orbit than any known Earth-orbit-crossing asteroid.
In December 1992, Toutatis made a close approach to Earth. At the time, it was an average of about 4 million kilometers (2.5 million miles) from Earth. Images of Toutatis were acquired using radar carried out at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California's Mojave desert. For most of the work, a 400,000-watt coded radio transmission was beamed at Toutatis from the Goldstone main 70-meter (230-foot) antenna. The echoes, which took as little as 24 seconds to travel to Toutatis and back, were received by the new 34-meter (112-foot) antenna and relayed back to the 70-meter (230-foot) station, where they were decoded and processed into images.

The images of Toutatis reveal two irregularly shaped, cratered objects about 4 and 2.5 kilometers (2.5 and 1.6 miles) in average diameter which are probably in contact with each other. These "contact binaries" may be fairly common since another one, 4769 Castalia, was observed in 1989 when it passed near the Earth. Numerous surface features on Toutatis, including a pair of half-mile-wide craters, side by side, and a series of three prominent ridges -- a type of asteroid mountain range -- are presumed to result from a complex history of impacts.

Toutatis is one of the strangest objects in the solar system, with a highly irregular shape and an extraordinarily complex "tumbling" rotation. Both its shape and rotation are thought to be the outcome of a history of violent collisions. "The vast majority of asteroids, and all the planets, spin about a single axis, like a football thrown in a perfect spiral, but Toutatis tumbles like a flubbed pass," said Dr. Scott Hudson of Washington State University. One consequence of this strange rotation is that Toutatis does not have a fixed north pole like the Earth. Instead, its north pole wanders along a curve on the asteroid about every 5.4 days. "The stars viewed from Toutatis wouldn't repeatedly follow circular paths, but would crisscross the sky, never following the same path twice," Hudson said.

"The motion of the Sun during a Toutatis year, which is about four Earth years, would be even more complex," he continued. "In fact, Toutatis doesn't have anything you could call a 'day.' Its rotation is the result of two different types of motion with periods of 5.4 and 7.3 Earth days, that combine in such a way that Toutatis's orientation with respect to the solar system never repeats."

The rotations of hundreds of asteroids have been studied with optical telescopes. The vast majority of them appear to be in simple rotation with a fixed pole and periods typically between one hour and one day, the scientists said, even though the violent collisions these objects are thought to have experienced would mean that every one of them, at some time in the past, should have been tumbling like Toutatis.

Internal friction has caused asteroids to change into simple rotational patterns in relatively brief amounts of time. However, Toutatis rotates so slowly that this "dampening" process would take much longer than the age of the solar system. This means that the rotation of Toutatis is a remarkable, well-preserved relic of the collision-related evolution of an asteroid.

On September 29, 2004, Toutatis will pass by Earth at a range of four times the distance between the Earth and the Moon, the closest approach of any known asteroid or comet between now and 2060. One consequence of the asteroid's frequent close approaches to Earth is that its trajectory more than several centuries from now cannot be predicted accurately. In fact, of all the Earth-crossing asteroids, the orbit of Toutatis is thought to be one of the most chaotic.

Submitted by Joe (Bigsky770)

[Bigsky770]

- - -Can be found here;

http://www.solarviews.com/eng/toutatis.htm

Joe (Bigsky770)

[Spartan117x]

2003 MK4 2032-Jan-03 18:47 1_15:05 0.6/0.0014 0.51/0.00132 13.00 1897 20.79 220 38 A/24
this asteroid expected to come within .6 lunar distance on that site u gave me about the NEO's kinda scary. Expected to hit on Jan 03 in 2032

[playmaker88]

Just placed on the BBC News website.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3707023.stm

Possible proof of the biggest ever impact to threaten life on Earth. Maybe they've found the smoking gun from the BIG ONE 250m years ago. :alcoholic

[Hoodlum]

guys this iIS supposed to hit, it ties in with the comet events supposed to hit. Everyone check out Orbit in Chaos. NASA is holding back the info..

If possible, could a moderator change that thread (Orbit in Chaos) to a different name relating to it? maybe "Annihilation Immenent" Thanks

[Bigsky770]

- - -I had read almost the same story @ another news source, where the "shocked quartz" was showing up in locations as far away as Antarctica & India. Makes one wonder what (or) how much force the NEXT 'asteroid' could unleash.

- - -No-doubt we'll be keeping an eye on "Toutatis", NASA has rated this asteroid a level 1 concern in that it will garner close attention in the coming months before its' closest approach. . . :ohmy: :thumbs:

Joe (Bigsky770)

[Hellwillmeet]

I can find out for you roughly.what is it made out of,Iron??

[Hellwillmeet]

okay this is bad...the asteriod is around 3 miles long and it would cause a crater of 63 miles wide.If you was 100KM away from the impact the speed of the shockwave would be 2398.1 mph :yikes:

[LC Jeffries]

We'll just have to :dunno: pray. And wait and see.

[Bigsky770]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

HORIZONS Generated Ephemeris
************************************************** *****************************
Ephemeris / WWW_USER Fri May 21 19:13:09 2004 Pasadena, USA / Horizons
************************************************** *****************************
Target body name: 4179 Toutatis (1989 AC) {source: JPL#99}
Center body name: Earth (399) {source: DE-0406LE-0406}
Center-site name: (User Defined Site)
************************************************** *****************************
Start time : A.D. 2004-Sep-20 00:00:00.0000 UT-05:00
Stop time : A.D. 2004-Oct-05 00:00:00.0000 UT-05:00
Step-size : 5 minutes
************************************************** *****************************
Center geodetic : 276.833000, 37.2170, -0.00{E-lon(deg),Lat(deg),Alt(km)}
Center cylindric: 276.833000, 5085.4635, 3836.59{E-lon(deg),Dxy(km),Dz(km)}
Center pole/equ : High-precision EOP model {East-longitude +}
Center radii : 6378.1 x 6378.1 x 6356.8 km {Equator, meridian, pole}
Target pole/equ : No model available
Target radii : 2.0 km
Target primary : Sun {source: DE-0406LE-0406}
Interfering body: MOON (Req= 1737.400) km {source: DE-0406LE-0406}
Deflecting body : Sun {source: DE-0406LE-0406}
Deflecting GM : 1.3271E+11 km^3/s^2
Small perturbers: Ceres, Pallas, Vesta {source: SB405-CPV-2}
Small body GMs : 6.32E+01, 1.43E+01, 1.78E+01 km^3/s^2
Atmos refraction: NO (AIRLESS)
RA format : HMS
Time format : BOTH
Time zone : UT-05:00
RTS-only print : RAD
RTS elevation : 0. degrees
EOP file : eop.040521.p040812
EOP coverage : DATA-BASED 1962-JAN-20 TO 2004-MAY-21. PREDICTS-> 2004-AUG-11
Units conversion: 1 AU= 149597870.691 km, c= 299792.458 km/s, 1 day= 86400.0 s
************************************************** *****************************
Initial FK5/J2000.0 helio. ecliptic osc. elements (AU, DAYS, DEG):
EPOCH= 2450122.5 ! 1996-Feb-09.00 (CT) Residual RMS= .68527
EC= .6341955356750985 QR= .9204448796558076 TP= 2450398.478613785
OM= 128.6704466749406 W= 274.4154608215099 IN= .4673827696532442
Asteroid physical parameters (KM, SEC, rotational period in hours):
GM= n.a. RAD= 2. ROTPER= 130.
H= 15.3 G= .100 B-V= n.a.
ALBEDO= n.a. STYP= Sk
************************************************** ************************************************** *******************************************
Date_(ZONE)_HR:MN Date________JDUT R.A.___(ICRF/J2000.0)___DEC APmag S-brt r rdot delta deldot S-T-O Cnst
************************************************** ************************************************** *******************************************
2004-Sep-20 03:10 2453268.84027778 s 21 37 59.5110 -20 38 16.544 10.84 5.31 1.0515888149 -11.32214 0.0594301876 -10.54033 36.0477 Cap
2004-Sep-20 17:19 2453269.42986111 *r 21 36 41.5955 -21 14 41.679 10.73 5.33 1.0477547889 -11.20387 0.0557345486 -11.15669 37.2294 Cap
2004-Sep-20 22:08 2453269.63055556 t 21 35 58.1415 -21 28 41.374 10.69 5.34 1.0464589241 -11.16309 0.0544578418 -10.81714 37.7032 Cap
2004-Sep-21 02:57 2453269.83125000 s 21 35 12.7574 -21 42 10.919 10.65 5.35 1.0451678045 -11.12204 0.0532271452 -10.47878 38.1801 Cap
2004-Sep-21 17:16 2453270.42777778 *r 21 33 33.1060 -22 27 54.693 10.53 5.37 1.0413584895 -10.99847 0.0495125388 -11.07754 39.5210 Cap
2004-Sep-21 22:00 2453270.62500000 t 21 32 40.4539 -22 45 07.778 10.49 5.38 1.0401084811 -10.95710 0.0482668165 -10.74154 40.0485 Cap
2004-Sep-22 02:44 2453270.82222222 s 21 31 45.0454 -23 01 53.757 10.44 5.39 1.0388632030 -10.91546 0.0470657099 -10.40508 40.5820 Cap
2004-Sep-22 17:18 2453271.42916667 *r 21 29 31.3533 -24 01 21.995 10.30 5.41 1.0350608818 -10.78572 0.0433156014 -10.97649 42.1604 Cap
2004-Sep-22 21:52 2453271.61944444 t 21 28 26.0043 -24 22 48.740 10.26 5.42 1.0338782634 -10.74455 0.0421249068 -10.64374 42.7561 Cap
2004-Sep-23 02:31 2453271.81319444 s 21 27 15.5590 -24 44 18.757 10.21 5.44 1.0326787309 -10.70237 0.0409555983 -10.30799 43.3731 Cap
2004-Sep-23 17:15 2453272.42708333 *r 21 24 08.5333 -26 03 53.361 10.05 5.47 1.0289094620 -10.56708 0.0372027732 -10.84138 45.2949 Cap
2004-Sep-23 21:44 2453272.61388889 t 21 22 41.7373 -26 32 07.442 10.00 5.48 1.0277720470 -10.52541 0.0360487755 -10.50406 46.0093 Cap
2004-Sep-24 02:13 2453272.80069444 s 21 21 08.8829 -27 00 15.901 9.95 5.49 1.0266391425 -10.48351 0.0349359874 -10.16968 46.7420 Cap
2004-Sep-24 17:17 2453273.42847222 *r 21 16 25.8222 -28 52 46.452 9.77 5.54 1.0228652747 -10.34101 0.0311592509 -10.62982 49.2430 Mic
2004-Sep-24 21:31 2453273.60486111 t 21 14 26.6044 -29 30 16.160 9.71 5.55 1.0218142630 -10.30050 0.0300915900 -10.29048 50.1168 Mic
2004-Sep-25 01:45 2453273.78125000 s 21 12 17.4346 -30 08 07.288 9.66 5.57 1.0207673910 -10.25978 0.0290623090 -9.95201 51.0226 Mic
2004-Sep-25 17:19 2453274.42986111 *r 21 04 23.6885 -32 57 34.308 9.46 5.63 1.0169537987 -10.10829 0.0252662821 -10.26441 54.5589 Mic
2004-Sep-25 21:13 2453274.59236111 t 21 01 26.5608 -33 49 02.784 9.40 5.65 1.0160072917 -10.06990 0.0243178632 -9.91426 55.6863 Mic
2004-Sep-26 01:07 2453274.75486111 s 20 58 11.5320 -34 41 37.831 9.35 5.67 1.0150643978 -10.03134 0.0234051039 -9.56137 56.8695 Mic
2004-Sep-26 17:26 2453275.43472222 *r 20 42 48.8649 -39 17 05.648 9.13 5.77 1.0111590856 -9.86813 0.0196361009 -9.53607 62.4487 Mic
2004-Sep-26 20:40 2453275.56944444 t 20 38 10.3512 -40 24 34.367 9.09 5.80 1.0103928472 -9.83542 0.0189074193 -9.17304 63.8940 Mic
2004-Sep-26 23:54 2453275.70416667 s 20 32 59.0991 -41 33 42.304 9.06 5.83 1.0096291599 -9.80259 0.0182086775 -8.79741 65.4240 Mic
2004-Sep-27 18:18 2453276.47083333 *r 19 51 55.1314 -49 53 13.975 8.90 6.02 1.0053322660 -9.61331 0.0144793163 -7.75628 76.0484 Tel
2004-Sep-27 19:37 2453276.52569444 At 19 47 08.8658 -50 35 55.027 8.90 6.04 1.0050280179 -9.59959 0.0142371096 -7.52782 77.0590 Tel
2004-Sep-27 21:01 2453276.58402778 s 19 41 43.4148 -51 21 11.362
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

8.90 6.06 1.0047049913 -9.58498 0.0139876568 -7.27844 78.1659 Tel
2004-Sep-30 08:30 2453279.06250000 *r 12 01 38.9314 -39 00 02.794 12.97 8.49 0.9914533491 -8.92611 0.0121347254 5.47304 143.1213 Cen
2004-Sep-30 12:04 2453279.21111111 *t 11 50 18.1366 -36 02 49.567 13.40 8.70 0.9906894043 -8.88463 0.0126401774 6.32050 145.4706 Cen
2004-Sep-30 15:38 2453279.35972222 *s 11 40 40.7117 -33 12 36.631 13.82 8.89 0.9899290265 -8.84306 0.0132174587 7.09749 147.4688 Hya
2004-Oct-01 06:27 2453279.97708333 Cr 11 15 18.8639 -23 42 11.517 15.10 9.43 0.9868085820 -8.66956 0.0159524879 8.03724 152.1787 Crt
2004-Oct-01 11:11 2453280.17430556 *t 11 08 52.1710 -21 19 49.657 15.30 9.48 0.9858247941 -8.61384 0.0169037287 8.71384 152.5626 Crt
2004-Oct-01 15:55 2453280.37152778 *s 11 03 20.9643 -19 09 13.111 15.45 9.49 0.9848473644 -8.55797 0.0179345778 9.32377 152.6683 Crt
2004-Oct-02 05:29 2453280.93680556 Ar 10 52 50.4856 -14 08 58.823 15.69 9.43 0.9820812479 -8.39686 0.0209716229 9.22292 152.2120 Crt
2004-Oct-02 10:43 2453281.15486111 *t 10 49 02.6848 -12 35 58.361 15.68 9.35 0.9810283204 -8.33429 0.0221619427 9.75347 151.6195 Hya
2004-Oct-02 15:57 2453281.37291667 *s 10 45 42.5043 -11 10 46.714 15.67 9.26 0.9799832912 -8.27147 0.0234259220 10.24343 150.9735 Sex
2004-Oct-03 04:51 2453281.91041667 r 10 40 13.8063 -08 16 44.183 15.67 9.09 0.9774412555 -8.11550 0.0265387147 9.79050 149.5635 Sex
2004-Oct-03 10:25 2453282.14236111 *t 10 37 45.0021 -07 14 05.576 15.64 9.00 0.9763593101 -8.04769 0.0278750899 10.25156 148.7927 Sex
2004-Oct-03 15:59 2453282.37430556 *s 10 35 31.6965 -06 16 22.807 15.61 8.92 0.9752864735 -7.97955 0.0292834374 10.68772 148.0344 Sex
2004-Oct-04 04:28 2453282.89444444 r 10 32 17.1601 -04 25 46.919 15.59 8.77 0.9729139511 -7.82559 0.0324061119 10.09839 146.6397 Sex
2004-Oct-04 10:12 2453283.13333333 *t 10 30 34.0587 -03 42 02.952 15.56 8.70 0.9718398548 -7.75432 0.0338218354 10.52285 145.9038 Sex
2004-Oct-04 16:01 2453283.37569444 *s 10 28 59.1474 -03 00 56.487 15.54 8.63 0.9707602224 -7.68166 0.0353302523 10.93315 145.1811 Sex
************************************************** ************************************************** *******************************************
Please note: - - When I generated this, I didn't have much of an idea that no matter HOW I changed the input data, (whereas I have a double-line noted here)[see above] the dates Sept. 28/Sept. 29 ARE MISSING. Plain english?
too close to call folks. perhaps TOO CLOSE

Joe (Bigsky770)

[AnimeFreak]

Is the Asteriod Tourtais really gonna hit the earth?!?!?
Is the government and Nasa hiding the fact that it will hit the earth like in the first portions of Armageddon?

I'm confused?!?!?

[stewey]

Nope and nope. It will not hit the Earth, and NASA is not hiding it because it has nothing to hide.

[Bonafide]

Keep your political statements to yourself. I could go on and on about the Kerrorists, but not on here. :Grind:

[MR.G]

but if that "buffon" in office and his Dad hadn't done what they did (unlike Ceegar Man) gasoline would be $20 a galloon or more, Saddam would have his nukes and the entire mideast (read 80% of the world's OIL) would be under his direct control. We in the west would likely be in the biggest baddest DEPRESSION ever!

The muslims have been trying to kill off the Christian nations for 1400 YEARS dumbass. Get used to it. Nothing new. But just realize that some people KNOW what's going on in the world even if you don't!!

...and for your info I am NOT a Bush fan either.

[VegasRonin]

Alright enough of politicizing in this thread! :mad:

[stewey]

Aussie Bloke claimed we would be dead by now. I proved him wrong to anyone with the least bit of intelligence. Check out the thread. I am going on record here of saying Toutalis will not hit us. Please for the love of god don't make me look up all the proof again, I want to research other stuff!

[dutchie]

Yeah, it gets kind of depressing, all these people suddenly thinking every other bag of garbage flying through space will eradicate all life on the globe and always NASA keeping it quiet. :sleeping:

[dutchie]

...not to mention a stray black hole that's gonna suck us all in...

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! :rolling:

[DontBeAfraid]

OY! dutchie I see what you mean..... Seriously people politics needs to stay in the appropriet(sp) forum or dutchie is going to shut us down.... Sorry about this, delete it if you want. Or stickie somewhere? This or something like it.

[stewey]

Yeah, it is best to keep politics on that board. Politics should never be used to judge a person, as everyone has their own beliefs. I take anything I read on that board and leave it there.

Anyways, a black hole sucking us in is an extremely rare possibility. I don't know if you were serious or not, but the event horizon (the "point of no return") is incredibly small.

[dutchie]

I don't know if you were serious or not, but the event horizon (the "point of no return") is incredibly small.


BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! :rolling:

Hope this helps.

[Over-Mind]

At closest predicted approach, Sept 29th (and at this juncture, orbits can be predicted with quite a bit of precision), Toutatis will still be ~ 1,000,000 miles away. That's a huge distance of separation.

Put it this way... if we equate the diameter of the earth to a car 15' long on one street, Toutatis would be equivalent to a golf ball rolling down another street over 2000 feet (9 football fields!) away! No sane person would worry about the car and golf ball colliding, nor should anyone worrry about Toutatis.

[playmaker88]

Aussie Bloke claimed we would be dead by now. I proved him wrong to anyone with the least bit of intelligence. Check out the thread. I am going on record here of saying Toutalis will not hit us. Please for the love of god don't make me look up all the proof again, I want to research other stuff!

You did provide some excellent links/thoughts/facts during that much drawn out, over-hyped thread, you are very useful for shooting down the panickers with well founded science and putting people's feet firmly back on the ground and I salute you.

However, you weren't by any means the only one who thought/knew that the whole saga was bs right from the start. To a lot of us with the "least bit of intelligence" it was a no go from the off. Everything that idiot did stank of joker. I too will go on record as being 100% certain that Toutatis will not hit this time around. (Just as I did with the other thread).

[stewey]

You did provide some excellent links/thoughts/facts during that much drawn out, over-hyped thread, you are very useful for shooting down the panickers with well founded science and putting people's feet firmly back on the ground and I salute you.

However, you weren't by any means the only one who thought/knew that the whole saga was bs right from the start. To a lot of us with the "least bit of intelligence" it was a no go from the off. Everything that idiot did stank of joker. I too will go on record as being 100% certain that Toutatis will not hit this time around. (Just as I did with the other thread).

You are right. I apologize if I came off the wrong way. I just get annoyed when people think any asteroid/meteor/comet means impending doom, but I apologize if I came off like I was the only one.

And thank you for the kind words, and right back at you too. We science geeks gotta stick together! :D

[LC Jeffries]

This will get interesting as we move closer to September. This is off the subject, but Halloween decorations are already in the stores. :ohmy:

[stewey]

One thing I have yet to see mentioned on this forum is an Asteroid named Toutatis. It is going to make a very close pass by the Earth in mid 2004. It will pass by less than 3 lunar distances. Toutatis is the size of Manhattan island and has a very unique compisition. It is two pieces of rock held together by a thin material. I think that a piece could split off the main asteroid and impact the earth or possibly the moon. I have heard almost nothing about this asteroid on T.V. or any where else. What are your thoughts on this?

It is not two pieces of rock held together by a thin material... These are asteroids we are talking about, the thin material would not be able to hold the large masses together....

[midnightsonblaze]

I guess life must suck so bad for these people that they are looking for anything that might happen to end their pathetic anal life.....I feel bad.....because when shit does hit the fan that will be crying....

Life will end one day for us all.....either it be old age, disease, car crash, meteor, bomb....etc.....I hope mine is the first.....I have a family and I want to live my life with everyone around and not die because of something like a meteor...

Just gotta like day by day and hope for the best and at the same time do the best you can...

:thumbs:

[A Lone Voice]

Agreed. But the big question is this:

Would you want to know if it is, indeed, going to be the meteor in a few weeks, or would you rather not know and let events happen as they may?

I, too, would prefer my demise be that of old age; on the other hand, websites like this may be the only source of truth, when and if the time comes.

Like you, I also have a family. And I would do my best to save them and keep them in as much comfort as possible until the "old age" option comes into play.

Is there truly another alternative?

[midnightsonblaze]

If I was told that a Meteor was to hit in a few weeks and there was NOTHING that could be done and we all would die.....I would spend every waking moment with my family.....preparing for the end.....and making sure that I was holding my wife and my son in my arms when it eventually would hit

[A Lone Voice]

That is the easy answer.

More realistic would be an 'official' report that "it" has a slight chance of hitting the Earth. Investigative reporting would probably reveal that the odds were somewhat greater.

And, would a 1 1/2 mile rock mean the end for everyone? Would you hold your family while I was stocking up food and water and shelter like crazy?

What if the impact didn't mean all life was to be wiped out?

If it was hopeless, I would do the exact thing you stated.

But little in life is completely hopeless.....

[midnightsonblaze]

ALV.....If there was a chance of survival.....you better believe that I would stock up on water, canned goods.......ramen noodles =)....etc....of course I would do so.....

I was just stating in my last post, that if the asteroid would ultimately kill life off....you best bet my family is with me at all moments...

[Anudiva007]

|I Where did you here that? That is just dumb. If any thing were even to come close we have anti-metor weapons. They have like HUGE solar panels and absorb the sun's rays and fire them back in a beam. That would stop any dumb asteroid.:evil: :evil: ;)

:pyth:
Just to inform the individual that thnks that its DUMB, By the way an asteroid may travels 50 times faster than a jet and the average jet travels 350 miles per hour ! 350 x 50 you do the math! That is 17,500 (IN SPACE)! If earths magnetic field sucks it in , it will speed up! And that is an underestimate! More over, considering the size and length, weighing over 6 billion tons! Do you understand the logistics of an impact of that stature? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING THAT FAST that can stop an asteroid in reality! Dude quit watching sci-fi!


:angel:
Oh but Keep Prayer alive!
HAVE A NICE DAY!

[stewey]

Toutalis won't hit.

[Doomer]

:pyth:
Just to inform the individual that thnks that its DUMB, By the way an asteroid may travels 50 times faster than a jet and the average jet travels 350 miles per hour ! 350 x 50 you do the math! That is 17,500 (IN SPACE)! If earths magnetic field sucks it in , it will speed up! And that is an underestimate! More over, considering the size and length, weighing over 6 billion tons! Do you understand the logistics of an impact of that stature? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING THAT FAST that can stop an asteroid in reality! Dude quit watching sci-fi!


:angel:
Oh but Keep Prayer alive!
HAVE A NICE DAY!
I'm no physicist but I highly doubt that the earths magnetic field is going to suck in a 6 billion ton asteroid. This is just plain stoopid.

Now the earth's gravitational field is another matter all together.

If you want others to take you seriously, you need to have a clue about what you are talking about.

[40oz]

I personaly am not to worried about toutatis this pass, but it comes n goes every 4 years!! right place wrong time, well see in 2012..

[Hvyarms]

Before everyone gets so scared the wet themselves I think I should say.... Toutatis will only come within 1630616.7939 Kilometers of earth.. yes thats 1.6 MILLION kilometers of earth... and it has a 0 rating on the Torino Scale(meaning zero chance of impact).

[Diablo&Baal]

I Hope It Dont Hit Earth...i Hope There Right And It Misses

[Diablo&Baal]

i should of put a poll..meh i am new here

[kokanee]

So Asteroid 4179 is close and the Hubble just seemed to break down...not looking good folks.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3545130.stm

[Diablo&Baal]

no noo nononononoo NOO NOOO noo its a dream dream dream wake up wake up wake up...eep eeeep eeeeeeeeeep eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep has to be more than one! :po:

[40oz]

kokanee, click on your own link there, and scroll down to the second to the last paragraph. Nasa has proposed a plan for a robotic mission in 2007 to possibly fix the hubble.

From site "However, Nasa has asked for proposals regarding the feasibility of a robotic servicing mission, which could launch in 2007."

I would hope the "rocket scientist" at Nasa, having foreseen and attempted to "cover up" a meteor impact would have enough since to not schedule events that far out. :Blbl:

[Doomer]

I would hope the "rocket scientist" at Nasa, having foreseen and attempted to "cover up" a meteor impact would have enough since to not schedule events that far out. :Blbl:
It's a smoke screen.

[cjpluss]

Welcome to the forums!

There is an extremly low chance of it hitting us. If you look around, there are quite a few other posts relating to impacts, which you may want to check out. Well at least it will be after my birthday!

[Spartan117x]

halo 2 In 89 Days!!!!

[bbbv3.5]

Screw Halo 2....psX in 500 something days. When the two best systems collide and form one.

[WoOp_De_DoO]

Since this is of subject let me add XBOX BLOWS no one should every buy it. It's a total Waste of money. Go Buy a paintball Gun now that is a Fun sport. :>

[DontBeAfraid]

Just buy a new grafix card..... they cost the same as new systems but pc games are a lot cheaper..... and the selection is better.... Hell, can any of the three systems even play doom3? I mean play it well before you answer.

[Spartan117x]

Doom 3 will be good on the xbox, but its great on the pc esspecially if you got a new grafix card.

But Halo 2 will blow doom3 away

[marglarg]

Since this is of subject let me add XBOX BLOWS no one should every buy it. It's a total Waste of money. Go Buy a paintball Gun now that is a Fun sport. :>

Standard unit yes ... but chipped(mod) it becomes quite handy :)

[Red Shift]

Is there any chance of some on topic posting?

Tisk Tisk i come to a thread about impacts and i get bombarded with games stuff, take it to the off topic area! ;)

[marglarg]

Yes redshift you are right ...

re Toutatis, I feel it will most certainly miss. My main concern if any regarding this particular asteroid is a case of 'what if' it collides with some unknown body between its current position and when it's due for a flyby past earth. Thus altering part of the asteroid / fragments' trajectory toward a collision course with Earth. I normally wouldn't think there would be much chance of this because they usually detect most NEO's in our neighborhood. BUT ... there have been a number of incidents where NEO's where only found after they have passed us. Scary scenario but still quite unlikely!!

[supervillain]

No worries - read the article. Only one of the instruments - the spectrograph - is down. This is not an imaging instrument...it just detects the molecular composition of objects.

The imager one would use to look at 4179 Toutatis would be the WFPC2 (Wide Field and Planetary Camera), and that's still working fine.

[supervillain]

:pyth:
If earths magnetic field sucks it in , it will speed up! And that is an underestimate! More over, considering the size and length, weighing over 6 billion tons! Do you understand the logistics of an impact of that stature? WE DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING THAT FAST that can stop an asteroid in reality! Dude quit watching sci-fi!

Actually, you may need to be the one to quit watching sci-fi.

Magnetic fields do not pull in massive objects. Earth's magnetic field only pulls in subatomic particles and ionized gas from the solar wind (and thereby causing the aurora). Do a google search on the Van Allen belts.

But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant the gravitational field. Which we don't have to worry about, because that's taken into account by the gravitational simulations that predict this pass to begin with.

The major uncertainty here is how Earth's gravity will affect Toutatis' orbit the next time it has a close pass. The oblong shape induces tidal effects which are hard to estimate. Moreover, there's a phenomenon known as Yarkovsky effect which causes differential radiation of absorbed solar energy, and can cause a minor "thrust" for the asteroid...it's difficult to model for a spherical object, so doubly so for an oddly shaped, oddly rotating one.

All the doomsayers keep posting that "nothing will pass this close until 2060". Well, I haven't heard anyone mention Asteroid NY40, which passed just *ONE* lunar distance back in 2002? (Yes, just one-fourth the distance that Toutatis will pass in September.) It would seem it didn't cause any major effects on Earth, other than looking neat from my telescope.

"It's fun to be scared when you know you won't die!"

[dutchie]

here's the official update: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/newsdesk/future/

[LC Jeffries]

My daughters 14th birthday is in September. We are still planning on partying and having a good time. :Bday: Baby Girl. Besides the way things are going in this world I really don't care if it hits or not. I've been sickened by what is happening here lately.

I'm ready to go home. :prty: :birthdayg

[shotgun]

Toutatis off-course

Latest:

2004/08/25.151390 This observation was made on 25 Aug at 03:38 UTC.
It was reported by site #932 which is the John J. McCarthy Observatory at Lat. = 41.53°N and Lon. = 73.43W

They observed Toutatis at:
RA : 22:04:10.140 (h,m,s)
Dec : -12° 46´ 31.10" (deg,min,sec)

The NASA Ephemeris Generator used as above produces these results for the given Lat., Long. and time:
RA : 22:04:12.13 (h,m,s)
Dec : -12° 47´ 81.1" (d.m.s)

this dosen not look good.....

[dutchie]

Latest estimates predict a passing at more or less a million miles. That's roughly 4 times the distance to the moon. This does look OK to me.

BTW, Shotgun - a warm welcome to the forum!!

[supervillain]

Toutatis off-course
...
The NASA Ephemeris Generator used as above produces these results for the given Lat., Long. and time:
RA : 22:04:12.13 (h,m,s)
Dec : -12° 47´ 81.1" (d.m.s)

this dosen not look good.....

I would agree that the coordinates you quote from NASA don't look good, but probably for a different reason than you think.

The Ephemeris Generator would never output coordinates in that format. Ever. You quote 81.1" for the arcseconds of Declination...There are only 60 arc-seconds per arc-minute, so having 81.1 is just plain wrong. That's the equivalent of telling someone that it's 12:80 o'clock on August 75th. So, either you copied it wrong, or you just made it up.

As a parenthetical note, the amount that it's "off" by is really, really slight...the refraction due to the atmosphere would cause a much larger change in the object's apparent coordinates than the amont you show between the two. Whoever took those measurements probably should not have been that precise - they were looking at the object when it was only 30 degrees above the horizon, which means they're looking at twice the airmass...resulting in some relatively inaccurate measurements, especially when you don't know their elevation.

[Donsun]

It will not hit this time round. You will all be safe.

[Doomer]

It will not hit this time round. You will all be safe.
But only if you believe those who Have done the observations and calculations. If you are not one of them, you are just parroting what you have read/heard.

Like I stated before, there are only a handful of scientists/mathematicians in the world who are capable of determining the truth. It would be in the best interests of all governments to keep an impending collision a secret. Even tho they would find it hard to cover up an asteroid heading our way, it would be relatively easy to just say "it's going to miss us by a million miles and the masses would be non the wiser until the zero hour. Then nothing would matter.

Just playing the devil's advocate here. :devsmoke:

[knac1055]

Has anyone thought about the last time the earth was hit by a massive rock will by my understanding it was at a time when the earth’s magnetic field was weak which it is not right now. Has anyone thought that maybe our magnetic field repels large object when it is at near or at full strength?

Something is stopping the Earth from tumbling into SOL, and I think that is the earth’s magnetic field. What I mean is a magnet has to sides one that pulls and one that pushes. Think about it, how else, could you keep space station, satellites and other needed junk up there in orbit around our great planet?

Also what is one of the elements that you need to create a magnetic field?
I think its oil

And this is what bothers me while we seat here on this planet we have people sucking it dry of something it might need.

[Doomer]

Physics much ?

[playmaker88]

the masses would be non the wiser until the zero hour. Then nothing would matter.

If there's nothing you can do about it, you are best off not knowing until the event anyway. The mathematicians are easily accurate enough at this stage to know whether it's going to hit or not this time and if it's alright with you, despite any outside pressures they may be being put under, I'll go along with them. No doom, not this time.

If you think different, you're better off putting a new thread in 'conspiracies', 'cos this would be the 'mother' of all 'cover-ups'.

[Dhanishta]

Looking for the latest updates on Toutatis? Go here.........

http://www.arksky.org/toutatis.htm

This site has some interesting info. Those in the southern hemisphere will get a good view if they know where to look. See the link with a star map in the site.

[lazserus]

Physics much ?
I think I just lost braincells. How about you?

[Doomer]

Yep.

The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.

[dutchie]

Has anyone thought about the last time the earth was hit by a massive rock will by my understanding it was at a time when the earth’s magnetic field was weak which it is not right now. Has anyone thought that maybe our magnetic field repels large object when it is at near or at full strength?

Something is stopping the Earth from tumbling into SOL, and I think that is the earth’s magnetic field. What I mean is a magnet has to sides one that pulls and one that pushes. Think about it, how else, could you keep space station, satellites and other needed junk up there in orbit around our great planet?

Also what is one of the elements that you need to create a magnetic field?
I think its oil

And this is what bothers me while we seat here on this planet we have people sucking it dry of something it might need.

BWAAAAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

HAHAHAHAH HIHIHIHIH HAHAHAHAH HHHAHAHAHAHAHA BWAHAHAHA!!!!

Oh man... I need a drink.... hi hi hi.. and some oxygen. :Llol:

Bush WILL be excited about you being in HIS camp!!

[Hvyarms]

Has anyone thought about the last time the earth was hit by a massive rock will by my understanding it was at a time when the earth’s magnetic field was weak which it is not right now. Has anyone thought that maybe our magnetic field repels large object when it is at near or at full strength?

Wow what an amazing statement!

You know, I recently did a study where I concluded that shoe size is completely related to intelligence.

You see I went into a kindergardeners classroom and NONE ... NOT ONE of them knew that 10 divided by 2 = 5... then I went to a high school senior classroom and EVERY SINGLE ONE knew the answer!!!!!!!!!!

Through this analysis I realied that ALL the kindergardeners had SMALL SHOE SIZES!!! The high school seniors all had much bigger feet!!! Success! Shoe size = intelligence!

In the REAL world however... we dont just think of cause and effect based on two possibly completely independent variables such as my above statements.

The fact that the earth's magnetic field strength may or may not have been hit by something at a certain time is meaningless if it isnt based on reasoning or facts... hell I could just as well argue that we have only been hit by meteor's when there were no computers so now that we have computers were safe.

Seriously this statement is just too innane to continue proving it wrong.

[Doomer]

Wow Hvyarms, very well said.

[knac1055]

Wow what an amazing statement!

You know, I recently did a study where I concluded that shoe size is completely related to intelligence.

You see I went into a kindergardeners classroom and NONE ... NOT ONE of them knew that 10 divided by 2 = 5... then I went to a high school senior classroom and EVERY SINGLE ONE knew the answer!!!!!!!!!!

Through this analysis I realied that ALL the kindergardeners had SMALL SHOE SIZES!!! The high school seniors all had much bigger feet!!! Success! Shoe size = intelligence!

In the REAL world however... we dont just think of cause and effect based on two possibly completely independent variables such as my above statements.

The fact that the earth's magnetic field strength may or may not have been hit by something at a certain time is meaningless if it isnt based on reasoning or facts... hell I could just as well argue that we have only been hit by meteor's when there were no computers so now that we have computers were safe.

Seriously this statement is just too innane to continue proving it wrong.


It was just a thought

Shit man I know I'm not the brightest star in the heavens but either are you!

All you got to do is look at the past and what was thought to be a fact one day might not be 20 years from now.

See I look at things in the simples way I can, another words I don't need BS science to tell me I'm wrong, when in fact I was not wrong it was only a thought.

[Hvyarms]

Hehe dont take my statement too hard, I'm not trying to attack you just pointing out how it could possibly have nothing to do with the situation.

No offense though =) Just like proving stuff wrong lol.

[Dhanishta]

Looking for the latest updates on Toutatis? Go here.........

http://www.arksky.org/toutatis.htm

This site has some interesting info. Those in the southern hemisphere will get a good view if they know where to look. See the link with a star map in the site.

Well its nearly here.... Next week in fact - around Thursday/Friday. I have been looking out for it in the low southern sky but haven't seen it yet. It is supposed to be increasing in brightness every day, but so is the moon.... It has been cloudy for the last few days here and I wonder if any one else down under has seen it yet. Apparently it will be as bright as jupiter and is near the southern cross but further south of it. The best time to observe the asteroid is straight after sunset before the moon rises and the southern cross sets in the S.W. Can someone let us know of their observations here?

Just think we could all be dead next week if it hits us..... Happy dreams....... :toast: or nightmares - whichever you prefer.....

[lazserus]

Ever consider the possibility that it's NOT going to hit us? How many of these threads have to be made before you morbid people stop attempting to predict the end of mankind? Every thread that's been started in this forum based off of a supposed meateor impact has been proved wrong because we're still here. Toutatis isn't on a collision course with Earth. I think it's time to get over it now...once again.

[WoOp_De_DoO]

Ever consider the possibility that it's NOT going to hit us? How many of these threads have to be made before you morbid people stop attempting to predict the end of mankind? Every thread that's been started in this forum based off of a supposed meateor impact has been proved wrong because we're still here. Toutatis isn't on a collision course with Earth. I think it's time to get over it now...once again.


Well it is an armageddon forum.

[cjpluss]

The worry shouldn't be about it hitting us this time, but whether our gravity will change it's direction and hit next time. All of Nasa's stuff about the next time it will come close would become useless, and they would have to recalculate....

There are only two days left by the way! :prty:

[dutchie]

Well then I'd suggest you get ready to meet your maker!! :wine: :toast: :devsmoke:

[cjpluss]

Is anyone here still worried? Im certainly not. I think I trust Nasa for once. World governments and organisations always keep info from public eye, and this is no different. They won't tell us more for the simple fact that there is no point causing panic. As soon as it passes, everyone would hate them for giving them false information. Asteroids always pass us, and this one in particular is rated as a low threat by most astronomers. I think i trust them, and i think you all should too. People are coming out with information like: my brothers, uncles son is an astronomer and he says that there is a 70% chance it will hit us. Maybe that isn't a real one , but it is clearly unreliable. Just think about where you get the info from.

Here's a nice informative NASA article about it:
http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/

EDIT: I am now closing this thread, as it has no real point of existing now. It passed, we survived! I think i'll go join in with the disscussion about volcanic activity!

[Cpt.Shrap]

Why cause panic if you know impact is inevitable? One more day..
:devsmoke:

[prezhorusin04]

http://www.solarviews.com/thumb/ast/toutathi.gif

In 1989, asteroid 4179, Toutatis, was discovered by French astronomers and named after a Celtic god that was the protector of the tribe in ancient Gaul. Its eccentric, four-year orbit extends from just inside Earth's orbit to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The plane of Toutatis's orbit is closer to the plane of the Earth's orbit than any known Earth-orbit-crossing asteroid.
http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/~hudson/Research/Asteroids/4179/
http://www.solarviews.com/eng/toutatis.htm

Toutatis:Celtic God of War

(British, Gallic) "Ruler of the People"; one of the oldest and most powerful; god of war. (1) (Gaul) He is the god of fertility, war, and wealth. His name means "the god of the tribe". Human sacrifices were made to him (usually they were drowned in giant cauldrons). He is credited with inventing all the crafts of mankind. He is the equivalent of the Roman god Mars. (4) Also: Toutatis; Totatis

TEUTATES - A Celtic god mentioned by the 1st century Roman poet Lucan. Teutates is known from a number of inscriptions found both in Britain and Gaul. Inscriptions invoking Toutates, Toutatis, and Totatis are usually regarded as being variant spellings of this god's name. Teutates probably means "protector of the tribe" and he appears to have also been a god of war. He was normally equated with the Roman god Mars. As Toutiorix, he was linked to the god Apollo in a German inscription. Lucan wrote that Teutates was one of the three Celtic gods that required human sacrifice.

http://enchantedtempleofisis.com/roman.htm
http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/deitiest-u-v-w.html
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Caturix

[Nexious]

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/toutatis_video_040929.html#video

Watch it as it passes by. Didn't even stop to say hello. Rude Toutatis. :-)