Question and comments please---Intruder 2004 HE

See this link..
www.spacedaily.com...

I quote:

"Given then the infrequency of actually having to deflect an asteroid in order to avoid an Earth impact it is unlikely that humanity will ever need to develop a stand-alone planetary defense system. However, given the commercial, as well as the scientific value implicit in near Earth asteroids it is highly likely that operations to and from the asteroids will become a routine part of human space operations. One can readily imagine a time when visiting, using and even moving near Earth asteroids becomes a routine human capability. Simply calling on the "Ace Asteroid Mining and Moving Company" to nudge asteroid 2018 FA322 gently out of the way may then be all that is required to prevent an otherwise devastating event."

Why do they mention this comet?

also, I�d like to bring your attention to this

And they state.....


Intruder 2004 HE

www.hohmanntransfer.com...


The Minor Planet Center Closest Approaches page now shows an average of one asteroid per month observed to come closer to the Earth than the Moon in the last seven months, since September 19th. There have been eight since 29 April 2003, out of a total of 15 ever observed so close, going back to the first in 1991.

With the current prediction of 0.0019 AU (0.74 lunar distance), 2004 HE is on the list as the 13th closest flyby overall, and only seventh closest in the last year. It was discovered at 0758 and followed until 0853 UT yesterday by Michael Van Ness at LONEOS in Arizona, and was confirmed as night wrapped around the world, first by Rob McNaught during 1157-1433 UT with the Siding Spring Survey (SSS) 0.5m telescope in Australia, and then at 2304 UT by Michal Kocer with the KLENOT 1.06m telescope in the Czech Republic. Now early on the 17th back in the U.S. Southwest, it was picked up with a rented 0.3m telescope (see "cover" above) at New Mexico Skies operated by Robert Hutsebaut in Belgium (where it was mid-morning).
did hit Earth, it would most likely self-destruct spectacularly high in the atmosphere.

Pasquale Tricarico used his ORSA software for Linux and Windows to create the animation above and to calculate the following numbers based on MPC data posted since the announcement MPEC:

Closest 18 April Time EDT AU LD
Earth 0018 UT 8:18pm 17 April 0.001849 0.722
Moon 0546 UT 1:46am 18 April 0.001636 0.639



Note: A/CC first posted news about 2004 HE with the cover image at 1636 UTC (12:36pm EDT) on April 17th.

P.S

News briefs...

Comet Bradfield late news: At last check there is an unexplained 19-hour gap in the SOHO image record of C/2004 F4 (Bradfield)�s perihelion passage, but regular postings have resumed beginning with a 2354 UT partial image from the 17th. See here or here.

Why?