ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

In case some of you get calls from frantic visitors:

A recently discovered near-Earth object will make a close approach past
the Earth this afternoon.
The asteroid, provisionally designated 2004 FH, is probably about 18 - 50
meters in diameter. It will pass the Earth at about 43,000 km (~26,000
miles, or about 1/10 the distance between the Earth & the Moon) above the
surface at about 4:08pm CST. This is a record close approach (for objects
detected before they entered the atmosphere).  It will NOT strike the
Earth.

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news142.html

The reason I'm sending this out is, believe it or not, due to a Paul
Harvey broadcast this morning.  I know he's on many radio stations across
the country, and this morning as I was listening to WGN 720 AM in Chicago,
he mentioned the asteroid.  He wasn't very convincing, though, that the
asteroid would miss the Earth, even though it has no chance of striking
us.  His quote was something to the effect of "This asteroid will miss the
Earth...I hope.  Isn't it amazing how a large asteroid impact could bring
the whole world together right before we're all blown apart."  I'm not
great with quotes, so please don't quote me exactly on this one...though I
know the "right before we're all blown apart" portion is correct from Mr.
Harvey.

Happy phone call & email answering to all of you!

Michelle

Michelle Nichols, Senior Educator
Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum
1300 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL  60605
312-322-0520
312-322-2257 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.adlerplanetarium.org

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]