The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| Asteroid to make close pass by Earth on Feb 15 Posted: 08 Feb 2013 07:14 AM PST  An object of similar size on a collision course with Earth would strike with the force of about 2.4 million tonnes of dynamite. – Reuters pic CAPE CANAVERAL, Feb 8 — A small asteroid will pass closer to Earth next week than the TV satellites that ring the planet, but there is no chance of an impact, NASA said. The celestial visitor, known as 2012 DA14, was discovered last year by a group of amateur astronomers in Spain. The asteroid is about the size of an Olympic swimming pool at 46m in diameter and is projected to come as close as 27,520km from Earth during its February 15 approach. That would make it the closest encounter since scientists began routinely monitoring asteroids about 15 years ago. Television, weather and communications satellites fly about 800km higher. The moon is 14 times farther away. Even so, "no Earth impact is possible," astronomer Donald Yeomans, with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, told reporters during a conference cal The time of the asteroid's closest approach will be 2.24pm EST, daylight in the United States, but dark in Eastern Europe, Asia and Australia where professional and amateur astronomers will be standing by with telescopes and binoculars to catch a view. DA14 will soar through the sky at about 13km per second. At that speed, an object of similar size on a collision course with Earth would strike with the force of about 2.4 million tonnes of dynamite. The last time that happened was in 1908 when an asteroid or comet exploded over Siberia, levelling 80 million trees over 2,150 sq km. "Although they wouldn't (cause) a global catastrophe if they impact the Earth, they still do a lot of regional destruction," said Lindley Johnson, who oversees the Near-Earth Object Observations Program at NASA headquarters in Washington DC. NASA has been on a mission to find and track all near-Earth objects that are 1km in diameter or larger. The effort is intended to give scientists and engineers as much time as possible to learn if an asteroid or comet is on a collision course with Earth, in hopes sending up a spacecraft or taking other measures to avert catastrophe. About 66 million years ago, a 10km diameter object smashed into what is now the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico leading to the demise of the dinosaurs as well as most plant and animal life on Earth. The planet is regularly pelted with objects from space, adding up to about 100 tonnes of material per day, Yeomans said. "Basketball-sized objects come in daily. Volkswagen-sized objects come in every couple of weeks. As you get to larger and larger sizes the number of objects out there is less and less, so the frequency of hits goes down," Yeomans said. Something the size of DA14 can be expected to strike Earth about every 1,200 years. "For objects of this size, this is the closest predicted encounter that we're aware of," Yeomans said. — Reuters |
| Van Cleef & Arpels teams up with dancer Benjamin Millepied Posted: 08 Feb 2013 06:56 AM PST  Benjamin Millepied, from "Black Swan" to head of the Paris Opera Ballet. — AFP pic Millepied does not start as Director of Dance at the Paris Opera until autumn 2014, but he's already keeping himself busy in the French capital with a new collaboration celebrating precious stones. More than 45 years after Van Cleef & Arpels first debuted "Jewels", a ballet by George Balanchine inspired by the jewellery of the famous Parisian gem-specialist and watchmaker founded in 1896, the brand is working on a new project. Rising to international fame with his work on Darren Aronofsky's 2010 hit "Black Swan", the aptly named Millepied danced in and choreographed the movie, which also featured costumes from Rodarte's Kate and Laura Mulleavy. The dancer's romantic involvement with the lead actress, Natalie Portman, added to the buzz around the film. The music for "Reflections" has been composed by David Lang. Costume and stage design will be handled by American artist Barbara Kruger. Millepied is no stranger to luxury labels. In July 2011 he became the face of Yves Saint Laurent's "L'Homme Libre" fragrance. "Reflections" will be performed from May 23-25, 2013, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. — AFP/Relaxnews |
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