An Impact On the Election? Asteroid Hurtling Toward Earth Has November 2 Due Date, Says NASA, Because 2020

Asteroid 2018VP1 is hurtling through space and it’s headed this way. In fact, it’s going to be making its presence known right around the time of the U.S. election, which has generated a lot of tweets with the #SMOD (Sweet Meteor of Death) hashtag. But will it have an impact?

Well, not an actual physical impact, almost certainly. But then again, what if it votes?

The asteroid, discovered in 2018 and tracked by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Center for Near Earth Objects Studies, is likely just going to zoom near for a fly-by peek, possibly while laughing about how we’re doing a better job of making craters than it ever could.

It could pass as close as 4,700 miles, or as far out as 260,000 miles. As far as the odds of coming much closer – say, within the atmosphere – it’s about 1 in 240. Which sounds like not terrible odds but what do I know, I play the lottery.

It’s too small to wreak worldwide devastation even if it were to hit smack dab in the center of a Diebold machine.

Still, actual impact or not, it will and has made a symbolic impact on our conversation ahead of the election. So that’s something.

All it needs now — and deserves, considering the press its getting — is a name.

I propose we give it a 2020 appropriate nickname like “murder hornets” or “toxic toads” to really seal the deal.

How about … Mail-in Meteor Vote? Activist Asteroid? Metaphor Meteor? The Fake News Meteor!!

Watch NASA’s Near Earth Object primer above for tips and tricks.