Thread: Close Encounter......

Definitons....definitions. I always thought an asteroid is in orbit around the sun. Most of them are between Mars and Jupiter. If they stray off orbit and hit the Earth's atmosphere and vapourises they become known as meteors and if they actually hit the ground they become known as a meteorite.

The body that hit Russia in 2013 was originally an asteroid so I'm guessing it fits all three categories.

Originally Posted by Ausfree

Definitons....definitions. I always thought an asteroid is in orbit around the sun. Most of them are between Mars and Jupiter. If they stray off orbit and hit the Earth's atmosphere and vapourises they become known as meteors and if they actually hit the ground they become known as a meteorite.

The body that hit Russia in 2013 was originally an asteroid so I'm guessing it fits all three categories.

...bugger....now I'm going to have to look up definitions just to satisfy my curiousity.

Also the passing distance has been changed to 3m km....big difference.....and to 8th March.

I wonder if they're actually tracking the right one ....hahaha