Don't worry, folks.

I have a triangular spaceship.  I can handle this.

NASA admits there's only about a 3 day window to find and track asteroids passing close to Earth, like Asteroid 2013 EN, whizzing past the Moon today. Where's Harry Stamper when we need him most?

Have you looked around the Pacific Northwest?

Neat, after 60 years of space exploration, humankind has gotten up to where we know we're farked with the next big asteroid.

Hopefully the next 60 years can be put into actually coming up with a means to defend ourselves.

And just as hopefully there won't be a climate changing asteroid by then.

calbert: /obscure?

More like the only answer

calbert: [www.heavemedia.com image 600x400]

/obscure?

Only in a parallel universe is a half billion dollar grossing movie obscure.

Well, three days is plenty if you already have a plan in place. We have time now, so let's use it.

calbert: [www.heavemedia.com image 600x400]

/obscure?

<insert witty comment on your poor choice of word>

So, to bring sense into this discussion...

NASA tracks bodies from largest to smallest.  Yes, "city killer" asteroids are being found a little late, but NASA has been tracking the ones that actually matter (planet or continent-scale destruction) and is moving from them right on down.  Some things are a little harder to see (objects coming in from the direction of the sun) but there are even plans to see those.  NPR's Science Friday had a great story on just this.

"Asteroid 2013 EN is no planet killer. But it could wipe out a whole city, if it were to strike the planet."

And were to actually, you know, hit a city.

At which point that city would join all the other cities throughout human history that have been destroyed by asteroids.

Generation_D: Neat, after 60 years of space exploration, humankind has gotten up to where we know we're farked with the next big asteroid.

Hopefully the next 60 years can be put into actually coming up with a means to defend ourselves.

And just as hopefully there won't be a climate changing asteroid by then.

Yep.  Next one.  That's the one that's gonna get us.

We are no longer protected against asteroids.

Thanks, Obama!

That's barely enough time to download and 3D print a planetary laser. Maybe we should get started now and 3D print ourselves a scrith foundation?

Waste of money tracking these things. How often do cataclysmic size asteroids hit the earth?

SurelyShirley: So, if there are two asteroids closing in on earth at the same time, would they be called steroids?

OhYou.jpg

Generation_D: Neat, after 60 years of space exploration, humankind has gotten up to where we know we're farked with the next big asteroid.

Hopefully the next 60 years can be put into actually coming up with a means to defend ourselves.

And just as hopefully there won't be a climate changing asteroid by then.

Uh, no, that asteroid will counteract the effects of anthropocentric global warming.

/that's Obama's secondary reason for aiming asteroids at Tea Party bunkers

HEY QA's back!  How ya been man -- missed you in these threads.  How did you miss the 3-D printer that's going to make human organs for life extension ... IN SPACE!

Well, imagine what would had happened if NASA (or an other agency) announced the Russian meteor 3 days in advance. The EVERYBODY PANIC effect could have caused a much bigger negative impact on everything than the meteor itself did. The fear and insecurity could shut down the society and bring anarchy, rape, and pillage to your otherwise normal life.

Meanwhile in Antarctica, SpaceX busts out yet another piece of hell yeah.

and somehow we've made it this far!

Toshiro Mifune's Letter Opener: Don't worry, folks.

I have a triangular spaceship.  I can handle this.

Is it six thousand eight hundred miles a side?  If so, be careful or someone might mistake it for fiddling small change.

SurelyShirley: So, if there are two asteroids closing in on earth at the same time, would they be called steroids?

 those would be my balls.

Xyphoid: So, to bring sense into this discussion...

NASA tracks bodies from largest to smallest.  Yes, "city killer" asteroids are being found a little late, but NASA has been tracking the ones that actually matter (planet or continent-scale destruction) and is moving from them right on down.  Some things are a little harder to see (objects coming in from the direction of the sun) but there are even plans to see those.  NPR's Science Friday had a great story on just this.

The problem is comets and the occasional missile hurled by Jupiter with little warning.  Some of the big stuff can't be found just because it's very far away right now or hasn't been gravity assisted by passing Jupiter.

Adele......In.......Space!!!

Via Infinito: calbert: [www.heavemedia.com image 600x400]

/obscure?

No. Especially since subby mentioned Bruce Willis' character in the headline.

I was wondering who Harry Stamper was.

/needs to get out more

studebaker hoch: Meanwhile in Antarctica, SpaceX busts out yet another piece of hell yeah.

Tit cannon!

Quantum Apostrophe: That's barely enough time to download and 3D print a planetary laser. Maybe we should get started now and 3D print ourselves a scrith foundation?

You can't just used a 3d printer to make scrith, fool.  We don't even know how to make a cziltang brone yet.

BlippityBleep: and somehow we've made it this far!

I'm still alive.  Therefore I shall live forever.

iron de havilland

calbert is making a necklace with gnashed teeth.

studebaker hoch: [images2.wikia.nocookie.net image 533x399]

Meanwhile in Antarctica, SpaceX busts out yet another piece of hell yeah.

I don't think an ion cannon will do anything to an asteroid. I'm not saying don't build them, they might come in handy when the Imperial fleet shows up and tries landing AT-ATs to attack Disney World.

ciberido: Quantum Apostrophe: That's barely enough time to download and 3D print a planetary laser. Maybe we should get started now and 3D print ourselves a scrith foundation?

You can't just used a 3d printer to make scrith, fool.  We don't even know how to make a cziltang brone yet.

Speak for yourself. I have one that's anagrammatically identical that I call "Blazing Cornet."

studebaker hoch: [images2.wikia.nocookie.net image 533x399]

Meanwhile in Antarctica, SpaceX busts out yet another piece of hell yeah.

studebaker hoch: [images2.wikia.nocookie.net image 533x399]

Meanwhile in Antarctica, SpaceX busts out yet another piece of hell yeah.

So, Kate Upton is going to save us?

Seems to be a lot of Asteroids whizzing by lately. Wondering if some interstellar debris field is floating in from the Oort cloud...

Via Infinito: No. Especially since subby mentioned Bruce Willis' character in the headline.
man metaphysical: More like the only answer
12349876: Only in a parallel universe is a half billion dollar grossing movie obscure.
WeezinTheJuice: <insert witty comment on your poor choice of word>
YodaBlues: "Surely you can't be serious."