Planetary securityBig asteroid to fly uncomfortably close to Earth

Published 7 November 2011

A hefty asteroid — dubbed asteroid 2005 YU55 — will zoom uncomfortable close to Earth on Tuesday, 8 November; the asteroid is classified as a potentially hazardous object, but it poses no threat of an Earth collision — for at least the next 100 years; scientists say the asteroid is a reminder that our planet is just a sitting duck in a cosmic shooting gallery

Trajectory of asteroid's path // Source: spacedaily.com

A hefty asteroid  — dubbed asteroid 2005 YU55 — will zoom uncomfortable close to Earth on Tuesday, 8 November.

The Secure World Foundation (SWF) says this chunk of rock should also serves as a wake-up call.
While classified as a potentially hazardous object, asteroid 2005 YU55 poses no threat of an Earth collision – for at least the next 100 years.
Still, SWF notes, this close flyby of Earth is a reminder that our planet is just a sitting duck in a cosmic shooting gallery. For a safer future, the organizations calls maintaining a vigilant eye on Near Earth Objects (NEOs), as well as establishing a Planetary Defense strategy.
The consequences stemming from a NEO plowing into the Earth depends on its size and trajectory. Damage could range from destruction of an area the size of a city, to creation of tsunamis, to far greater after-effects.
“The making of a Planetary Defense strategy is one that includes finding these potentially hazardous objects, predicting their future locations, and providing warning about future impacts with the Earth,” said Dr. Ray Williamson, executive director of Secure World Foundation.
Williamson said a Planetary Defense strategy also includes missions to deflect impacting asteroids by changing their orbit, as well as disaster preparedness management and, in the event of a NEO strike, shaping a mitigation and recovery plan to counteract consequences.
For the last several years, the foundation has partnered with the Association of Space Explorers and other organizations to assist the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to develop an appropriate international agreement for responding to the NEO threat.