On March 22, 2001, an outer main belt asteroid provisionally named 2001FB10 was discovered by David Healy, founder of the Junk Bond Observatory. Its official name is 153289 Rebeccawatson.
That’s right, it was named after the woman probably most famous for making a whole lot of very insecure men very angry about having their sense of entitlement questioned. Rebecca Watson has an asteroid named after her, and you do not. U JELLY?
Additionally, it’s grossly unlikely to end humanity, despite certain howler monkeys’ protestations.
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Greg Laden
March 22, 2012 at 11:25 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I think it would be so funny if Rebecca Watson ended humanity.
Nice Ogress
March 22, 2012 at 11:33 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Naw, she’s just the doom for all *mankind*. Humanity’ll be just fine!
*flees before the rotten vegetables are hefted*
shouldbeworking
March 22, 2012 at 11:42 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Consider yourself pummeled by veggies in various stages of decomposition.
Jason Thibeault
March 22, 2012 at 11:43 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Nice Ogress: maybe you should have ended the comment with “Wokka wokka wokka!!”
WilloNyx
March 23, 2012 at 12:52 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Jason: Muppets nostalgia in full force now. *hurries off to youtube*
MikeMa
March 23, 2012 at 7:07 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
I am jealous. And proud.
csrster
March 23, 2012 at 8:32 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
But check out Asteroid 23482636 Elevatorguy.
lordshipmayhem
March 23, 2012 at 9:52 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
csrster, my google-fu has failed me utterly. I’ve tried Wikipedia, stumbled across several asteroid websites, checked out various “numbered asteroid” links, and haven’t found Asteroid 23482636
Assistance required, SVP.
drdave
March 23, 2012 at 6:22 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
2012 DA14 will fly-by Earth at 22,500 kilometers (inside the geosynchronous communication satellite orbit) on 15 February 2013.
Fortunately, this is after the Mayan Apocolypse, so it won’t make any difference.
Jason Thibeault
March 23, 2012 at 6:29 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
lordshipmayhem@8: apparently you missed the implied “wokka wokka” on csrster’s comment too.
jnorris
March 23, 2012 at 8:43 pm CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Thanks drdave, have it on my calendar.
drdave
March 24, 2012 at 12:40 am CDT (UTC -5) Link to this comment
Jason, I suspect that the orbital parameters are good. We won’t get hit. But the sensationalists will figure out some way to make headlines. Thanks for stopping by.
@jnorris – I would not worry too much. But it will be visible with a good pair of binoculars.
In the meantime, we need to fund some more folks in the astronomy world. Think of it as an insurance policy for civilization.
What I find interesting are the folks who think the end of the world is a good thing.