Space rock 'on collision course' with Earth!!!

[The Mad Monk]

Yes but it dosen't need to kill off all life on this planet -- humanity will do just fine, thanks!

[aaglo]

About that asteroid/comet that hit Tunguska in 1909... if it had hit earth 3 hours later, it would have hitted Helsinki. Well, aren't we finns lucky bastards...

Here is a site, where you can hurl different kind of objects towards different planets. I don't know if this is fun, but go check it if you like craters ect.

And here ofcourse is the site of all hubble fans.

[KrazyHorse]

The entire premise of Armageddon was ridiculous. How deep were they supposed to have dug that hole to plant the bomb in? Didn't they say the asteroid was 700 miles across? Do they really think anything we do could affect the trajectory (never mind the actual structure) of a planetoid which would have to mass in at around a quintillion tons?

[Gatekeeper]

I'm feeling queasy. I hope they get those estimations in shape sooner than later, because I prefer to have a lot of lead time if we have to nudge that damned asteroid out of Earth's path.

Gatekeeper

[Urban Ranger]

F,

Resonance?

[Freeze]

Typical british journalism. And some of ... :roll:

Probably there are some pantywaist socialists on Earth who would prefer complete destruction of the asteroid over a plan for slight course corrections and use of Earth's gravity well to fling it far away from the Sun. (On the grounds that there's a small chance something could go wrong.) Brits, I've little doubt.

[The Mad Monk]

Oh, and before I forget...*ahem*

We really, really, have to get off this rock.

[Dominikos]

I am happy to say that we can all start planning our funerals as of tommorow.

------------------
~Dominik - Lord of the Putumayo~

[ravagon]

Originally posted by The Mad Monk

Assuming eough mass to get through the atmosphere, it's not the mass, it's the velocity (remember which part of the energy equation is cubed). According to the article, the etimated impact velocity (28 km/s) is more than enough to wipe out a continent.

I agree about having time to deal with this, but forget about "blowing it up". What we want to do is push it into a friendlier orbit -- think billiards.

I agree, by and large. The friction on the pieces entering the atmosphere though is proportional to the velocity - hence if the body is shattered they'll just vaporize as they come in if the pieces are small enough.

Intercepting further out is of course a safer option but also much more technically challenging - especially given the variables in the detonation.

[ravagon]

Originally posted by aaglo
About that asteroid/comet that hit Tunguska in 1909... if it had hit earth 3 hours later, it would have hitted Helsinki. Well, aren't we finns lucky bastards...

Whereas we Apolytoners are unlucky bastards...

[aaglo]

Originally posted by ravagon
Whereas we Apolytoners are unlucky bastards...

That was to be expected

[Ecthy]

Tunguska was 1908 not 1909

Mobius, as for that 100% chance for usto be hit some day... we actua´lly are hit every day

[Solly]

17 years away? You'd have to be off yer rocker to be worried about this.

[Stefu]

I think the important question isn't "It would wipe out a continent?" but "Which continent?"

[Ecthy]

America. It is the divine instrument to save the peoples of the planet Earth.

Only after America's goen there can be world peace