[ad_1]
Roy Tucker is an American astronomer who is credited with discovering more than 702 minor planets. Mr. Tucker, a native of Jackson, Mississippi, is best known for his joint discovery of the asteroid known as Apophis 99942. The 400-meter-wide space rock continues to pose a destructive threat for the Earth.
However, NASA was seriously concerned when it was discovered in 2004 because it was thought that it could hit the Earth or the Moon in 2029.
Mr. Tucker revealed how he stumbled into space rock during the "Asteroid Trackers" series of Amazon Prime.
He said in 2008: "Apophis, it was an interesting experience.
"It was only pure luck for beginners.
"I saw this touching thing and I thought," Here's a guy here. "
"That's when I was very excited and had to tell myself to take a deep breath and slow down."
Mr. Tucker then explained in detail how he feared that the asteroid would actually hit the Earth.
He added, "Then, when I saw when it was going to hit, Friday the 13th, it was too much.
"Suddenly, I thought maybe I should stop obsessing him.
"But it's a human addiction, to hunt for something precious."
Additional observations by NASA in 2006 subsequently ruled out the possibility of an impact in 2029.
However, Brian Marsden, director of the Minor Planets Center, explained how the events unfolded in 2004.
He said: "It became clear that we would miss out on about 30,000 km on April 13, 2029.
"But over the next few days, the probability of impact on that date has risen to one in 37.
"It was pretty surprising."
However, NASA later revealed that It could go through a gravitational keyhole and create a future impact in 2036.
At the end of 2008, the probability that Apophis would pass through the gravitational keyhole was considered very low, excluding any impact by 2036.
The threat is not, however, completely eliminated.
NASA admitted in 2013 that there were 150,000 chances out of 1 to have a direct impact with the Earth by 2068.
[ad_2]
Source link