%2d outputs a decimal (integer) number that fills at least 2 character spaces, padded with empty space. %6.2f outputs a floating point number that fills at least 6 character spaces (including the decimal separator), with exactly 2 digits after the ., padded with empty space. Good for dollar and pound currency amounts.
Asteroid hurtles towards earth. Scientists were today, January 4th, 2014, warning of a possible asteroid collision with the Earth.
In general, neither asteroids nor comets are a threat to Earth. This is because their orbits stay the same year in and year out, just as the Earth s does. Once an asteroid is identified and its orbit determined, its future path can be predicted very accurately. Most asteroids don t come anywhere near the Earth. But a few have been nudged from their originally circular orbits by a close encounter with Jupiter or a collision with other asteroids. Their new orbits which are also predictable-bring them to the inner Solar System where they can threaten Earth.