SPACE
No collision risk from asteroid
A potentially hazardous asteroid nearly the size of Taipei 101 is to zoom past Earth on Friday, but there is no collision risk, the Taipei Astronomical Museum said. The asteroid, known as 2008 OS7, is to make its closest approach to Earth at 10:40pm on Friday, passing at a distance of 0.019 astronomical units (about 2.85 million kilometers), at a speed of 18.2 kilometers per second, the museum said. Astronomers estimate the asteroid to be about 210m to 480m in diameter, making it nearly the height of the Taipei 101 skyscraper, it said, adding that it would not enter Earth’s atmosphere. Based on information provided by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, five asteroids are to travel close to Earth in the coming days, including 2008 OS7, which has been classified as potentially hazardous because it has a diameter of more than 150m, it said. The next significant approach by a potentially hazardous asteroid would on April 14, 2029, it said.
SOCIETY
Keelung plans Ferris wheel
Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) yesterday unveiled his plan to build a Ferris wheel in the city’s downtown area in a bid to promote tourism. It is to be located in a plaza between Keelung Harbor and Taiwan Railways’ Keelung Station. and is expected to have a diameter of 40m to 60m, Hsieh said. While the cost of the Ferris wheel was not immediately clear, he said that additional funds would be allocated to the project, which would replace the temporary amusement facilities the city government is planning to construct later this year in the same area. The city government is also to develop a business operating model for the Ferris wheel service and aims to allocate time slots for residents to visit, he said.
SOCIETY
Fisher dies at sea
An Indonesian fisher on Monday died after falling into the sea while aboard a ship operating in waters off Penghu County, the Coast Guard Administration’s Fleet Branch Penghu Offshore Flotilla said. The flotilla said it dispatched a patrol boat on Monday night after receiving a request for assistance in the search for a person who had fallen overboard from the Penghu-based Da Jin Man No. 16, which was 60 nautical miles (111.12km) southwest of Cimei Island (七美島). The fishing ship subsequently found the 22-year-old fisher nearby, it said, adding that authorities are examining the body. The ship had one Taiwanese and six Indonesian crew members on board.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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