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An asteroid is going to swoop uncomfortably close to Earth

Before you panic: no, it’s not going to hit us — though it’s going to come tantalisingly close.

SKY WATCHERS TAKE note: An asteroid is going to shoot across the sky on 5 March — and it may come close enough that you can actually see it with a telescope.

Before you panic: no, it’s not going to hit us — though it’s going to come tantalisingly close.

The rock in question is asteroid 2013 TX68, which swooped by Earth at a safe 1.3 million miles away two years ago. It is now slated to fly by our planet again in a few weeks as it’s been locked in an orbit around the sun — though this time it may come much, much closer to Earth.

How close? That’s hard to say, given that we’ve only had a limited time to track this rocky space object since we discovered it back in October 2013.

asteroid earth drawing Shutterstock Shutterstock

And while Nasa isn’t quite sure of the rock’s trajectory — it could swing as close as 11,000 miles (17,700km) from Earth or as far as nine million miles (14.5 million km) away — they say ”there is no possibility” that it will impact Earth this time around.

That’s great, for now.

Asteroid 2013 TX68 — which measures about 100 feet in diameter, the size of an airplane — is slated to pay us another visit on 28 September 2017. At that time, Nasa predicts, there is in fact a chance it could hit us.

Though the chance is small — about one in 250 million — the same odds of being killed by a falling coconut.

Here is a graphical representation of the potential paths asteroid 2013 TX68 could take at the time of its closest approach on 5 March. At its furthest, it could speed by at a distant nine million miles away, which you can see on the left of the graphic. This would be too far away to see with a telescope.

asteroid_2013tx68_graphic Nasa Nasa

But if it does come within 11,000 miles of Earth, as sketched out on the right side of the graphic, avid skywatchers just may be able to check out this speedy piece of space debris.

Asteroid fly-bys happen all the time. If you’re curious about the stats on all of them, check out Nasa’s Near Earth Object Programme page here.

- Julia Calderone, Tech Insider

Read: Check out these incredible photos of the solar system

Read: It looks like there could be a ninth planet in our solar system

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    Mute James Fox
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:10 PM

    Living and working in Canada earning $90,000 plus bonuses. How. Is this relevant to Ireland.

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    Mute Longlin
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:31 PM

    @James Fox: At the least, we could have the Euro equivalent in brackets beside it. $90K is around €62K to prevent others having to look it up.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 10:09 AM

    @Longlin: With all of these it’s worth looking at the monthly take home, which when added and converted is about €41k

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    Mute Ríain HenC
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:20 PM

    Median wage of these weekly journals is approx 70k a year salary ! Can we have a few more part time corner shop workers on €9 an hour and maybe a Carer / social welfare recipient paying extortionate rent for parity !

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    Mute Ryan O'Rourke
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:26 PM

    @Ríain HenC: they have to be the ones that get in touch. You’re not paid to do this feature I presume

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    Mute Soeren Kuehling
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    Jan 4th 2022, 4:48 PM

    @Ryan O’Rourke: exactly. If nobody with a low salary gets in touch with them first we won’t be able to read about it here. Against popular opinion these stories are not made up but real people.

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:22 PM

    This is the best one so far! Canada! Dollars, 31 on $91k, Dungeons and Dragons…brillant, I have my fingers crossed for the Afghan Shepherd next week.

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    Mute Pat D'Arcy
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:36 PM

    @John Murphy: in fairness D&D is a bit of craic

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    Mute flexfinn
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 8:29 PM

    Once I saw the headline I knew the negativity would just flow through the comments ,with the 1st 3 comments being as expected can’t wait to see the rest

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    Mute Dan Moran
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 9:08 PM

    @flexfinn: Incredible foresight.

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    Mute B Collins
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 9:19 PM

    $2,200 for a 2+2 in Toronto is VERY good value.

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    Mute Jen Mc
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 10:58 PM

    @B Collins: yup, a relative of mine is paying $1900 for a 2 bed basement in Ajax. I paid $1350 a month for a 2 bed basement in North Toronto in 2017. Things are worse there than here!

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    Mute family guy
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 1:48 AM

    @Jen Mc: tell that to all the moaners on here, lol. Only they can change their own situation rather than expecting the government to pull them up

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    Mute Genera L Consensus
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 9:58 PM

    I want to be a Performance marketing manager

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    Mute pkunzip doom2.zip
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 10:07 AM

    @Genera L Consensus: your performance just isn’t good enough I’m afraid

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 10:10 AM

    @Genera L Consensus: nobody ‘wants’ to be a performance marketer…

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    Mute Daniel Murray
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 11:55 PM

    Not saving nowhere near enough for the money they’re making. If the plan is to every buy a place anywhere they need to up their game. I was saving more than that while renting on less than half their salary.

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    Mute Padraic Burke
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 12:37 AM

    @Daniel Murray: where in Killinaskully?

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    Mute Mickety Dee
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 7:40 AM

    @Daniel Murray: The numbers don’t add up. Their outgoings appear small yet they only have 6-900 dollars a month. There’s at least another 1.5k being spent somewhere

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    Mute John Killeen
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    Jan 2nd 2022, 10:46 PM

    It’s a piss take.

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    Mute Watchful Axe
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 12:03 PM

    @John Killeen: Not necessarily, you could have individuals that are high on life taking part. It might only really represent one percent of people but the other ninety nine couldn’t be bothered taking part in this.

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    Mute Pat Redmond
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 10:51 AM

    Spend some money on a visit to a gastroenterologist. A specialist will identify exactly the triggers.

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    Mute Declan Holden
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 9:23 AM

    Where’s the relevance for us folks living in ireland ?

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    Mute Kevk77
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 9:32 AM

    @Declan Holden: so when they return home for xmas next year you know how much you can tap them up for. Useful information comes in all guises.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 3rd 2022, 10:13 AM

    Performance Marketing… ugh! making sure we’re all firmly engaged with cr@p we don’t need.

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