You know who you've got to love?

Those amateur astronomers, that's who.

Astronomers have revealed how they came within minutes of alerting the world to a potential asteroid strike last month.

A JPL researcher sent out an email saying that the asteroid had a 25% chance of striking the Earth's northern hemisphere in a few days and others were on the verge of phoning the president of the USA.

Cut to scenes of the president making an address to the nation. Then a momentary silence in the press room followed by shouted questions, arm waving, weeping from the back row.

Then all the news outlets go into overdrive with the BBC suggesting that the unnecessary war in Iraq is likely to mean that we have missed our chance to stop the rock. If only the Americans had been concentrating and had seen it earlier!

Aljazeera goes into a frenzy, blaming the Christians and the Jews for bringing down the wrath of God upon us. They name the rock Saddam's Hammer.

But no, wait, here comes the amateur astronomer:

Fortunately for all concerned, shortly after the ominous Chesley e-mail, an amateur astronomer managed to dodge the clouds and take a picture of a blank patch of sky.

This was significant because if 2004 AS1 really was going to hit the Earth, it would have been in the amateur's sights. The fact that it was absent meant the rock would not strike us.

Bless all you amateur astronomers. Bless you.

Posted by John at February 25, 2004 11:22 AM | TrackBack