Amazon Pick of the Week: Earth My Dearest

A collection of over 200 inspirational and meaningful quotes around conservation and sustainability.

Highlighting the wonders of our planet and ways on how best we can save it, Earth, My Dearest includes quotes ranging from poet Henry David Thoreau to activist Greta Thunberg. This quote collection will help show all of us how to cherish the environment and key ways to protect our fragile planet moving ahead to an uncertain future.

Get it here: https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Lovers-Treasury-Quotations-Inspiration/dp/1578268923

Earth Could Face Another Asteroid

Another could soon be coming.

What is a "Super Moon" ?

We are slated to have a Super Moon tonight and tomorrow morning.

What is a Super Moon?

A Super Moon is when the moon will be at its closest point to the Earth all year — appearing 14 percent bigger and as much as 30 percent brighter than other full Moons of 2012, according to NASA. Technically, it’s a perigee moon, which occurs when the moon reaches the nearest point in its oval orbit.

Solar Storm Sends Flares to Earth

Scientists say he largest solar storm in five years is headed for Earth where its set to disrupt power grids and some communications systems.

The sun erupted Tuesday evening, and the most noticeable effects were to arrive here between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. EST Thursday, according to forecasters at the space weather center, with effects possibly lingering through Friday morning.

Things on earth that could be affected include power grids, GPS and communication devices and flight paths of airlines.

Is an Asteroid Heading to Earth?

An asteroid called 2011 AG5 could hit Earth in February 2040.  it's not "set in stone" to say, but if it follows one possible course, it could happen.

Astronomers, who have been following the asteroid since January 2011, say it is in an elliptical orbit that could bring it somewhere near Earth in 2040. Earth is about 8,000 miles in diameter; the asteroid appears to be about 450 feet wide.  That is bigger that football field.

NASA's Near Earth Object Program says the odds are about one in 625 that it could hit us in that still-distant future.

"We have a good opportunity to observe it next year and again in 2016," said Donald Yoemans, who heads the program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "We fully expect that the odds will go way down, most likely to zero, by then."

Scientists have discussed all sorts of far-out plans in case a future asteroid truly does turn out to be coming our way. If they have enough lead time, they might send a probe with thruster rockets, or even explosives, to nudge an asteroid into a slightly different orbit. A very small course change, years in advance, could make a big difference by 2040, they say. Even if the asteroid misses Earth by less than a hundred miles, its passing will be a non-event.

Following asteroids is nothing new to scientists around the globe.

One particular asteroid called 2005 YU55, passed within 201,000 miles of Earth in November, closer than the moon is to us.

Getting back to 2011 AG5,  scientists cannot say whether it is a solid hunk of rock or a loose jumble of debris flying together in space. All they know is that it's in a long, elliptical orbit that takes it almost twice as far from the sun as we are.