Its not death as we know it yet, for at least a few thousand years anyway!
The largest asteroid ever known to pass near Earth is making a close celestial brush with the planet this week in an event that professional and backyard astronomers are watching closely.
The space rock, named Toutatis, will not hit Earth, despite rumors of possible doom that have circulated the Internet for months. Humanity is very fortunate there won't be an impact, as the asteroid is large enough to cause global devastation. Toutatis is about 2.9 miles long and 1.5 miles wide (4.6 by 2.4 kilometers).
On September 29, Toutatis will be within a million miles of Earth, or about four times the distance to the Moon.
www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/space/09/28/asteriod.fly/index.html
To add to this, Terry Mosely sent out the following notice which may be of interest to some:
"You may be interested in the programme: "Stardate: Close Encounters" which will be broadcast on BBC2 at 11.20 p.m. on Wed Sep 29, timed to coincide with the close encounter of the minor planet 4179 Toutatis, which will approach Earth to within about 1 million miles on 29/30 September. It is currently about 9th mag, and at closest approach on the 29th it will pass about 1 degree from Alpha Centauri for observers in Australia and New Zealand. It will have faded considerably by the time it becomes visible from our latitudes again.
"The programme features NEOs in general & includes discussions on meteorites at the Natural History Museum, London, a section featuring BAA member Peter Birtwhistle, filmed at his observatory where he observes faint, fast-moving NEOs. It also features the story of AL00667, the object that was thought to be heading for Earth impact back in mid-January: There are appearances by astronomers such as Alan Harris, Brian Marsden, Steve Ostro and the BAA's 'Mr Asteroid', Richard Miles. The program is hosted by Adam Hart-Davis and Dr Lucie Green."
-Terry Mosely
Cheers,
Seanie.
  