2 asteroids passed between the earth and moon this week

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/quicktakes/840133,CST-NWS-qt13.article

Somewhere, out there

Asteroid 2008 EM68 became on Wednesday the second asteroid this week to be discovered only after it has passed between Earth and the moon.

The other was Asteroid 2008 EF32.

Asteroid 2008 EZ7 passed between Earth and the moon this week, also, but was discovered a few hours before it passed.

But who among us doesn't like surprises?

[oldtime dfl_er]

1. Aren't some asteroids tiny?

Like the size of a grain of sand? Or am I thinking of something else? I think astronomers keep a pretty close watch on the sky and would have known of any asteroid of size that was headed our way. I still have faith in scientists.

[Birthmark]

4. You are thinking of meteors

I don't know what the lower limit in size is for an asteroid, but it's much larger than a grain of sand.

If an asteroid that was previously unknown came toward the Earth from the direction of the Sun, we'd almost certainly fail to spot it until it hit us or passed us. Isn't that a pleasant thought?

[NNN0LHI]

6. Here is some info on size

http://www.drakeequation.com/

[Swede]

10. When they come from the direction of the sun,they usually aren't seen.

Not until they are real close.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Holy Bat Crap....they see them AFTER they passed us???? We coulda died and not know it...

[Stuckinthebush]

3. I think we would have known it.

:D

"What's that? Oh shit! An asteroi......"

[opihimoimoi]

7. I hope the nx ones we get some NOTICE for a last drink/smoke

[Birthmark]

5. Perhaps we did.

I don't think that I can *prove* we're alive! Ack!

[Ian David]

8. Bush slashed the budget to monitor Earth-crossing asteroids down to next to nothing.

"No one could have anticipated the possibility of an asteroid impact."

"No one could have anticipated the breaching of the levees."

"No one could have anticipated people using airplanes as missiles."

I swear on my pet goat, it'll be a miracle if we survive to January 2009.

[YankeyMCC]

9. I thought I felt a breeze nt

[krispos42]

11. Wonderful

So all our optical power is being spent looking DOWN instead of UP. Great, just great.

"Yes, Congressman, we missed the 100,000-ton rock hurling towards us at Mach 40. But we can read a terrorist's wristwatch!"