Impact ~ NEO; Near Earth Objects

[G David Bock]

Taking a suggestion from another thread, here's one addressing the issue of potential impact by large objects, asteroids/comets with effects upon Earth and methods to mitigate/prevent. For background material, some links:

This one has a lot of imbedded links dealing with varied aspects;
http://abob.libs.uga.edu/bobk/

One from a classic researcher and author on the topic;Comets and the Bronze Age Collapse by Bob Kobres
http://abob.libs.uga.edu/bobk/bronze.html
(Interesting illustrations hinting at origin of swastika symbol.)

Two movies of recent times addressed this issue. "Armageddon" was a Bruce Willis 'space cowboys' adventure and entertaining sort of flick. "Deep Impact" was a more realistic and pragmatic treatment. Both came out about the same time (hmmm )
This link is a bit lengthy and delves into what some might consider tangental topics, I'm presenting it for it's portion concerning the Taurid Meteor Stream (Comet Encke). This is a debris stream of an object that may have broken up, Comet Shumacker-Levi 9 like, near Mars, about 20-40,000 years ago, remaining debris orbiting the Sun in a @3.3 year path which Earth crosses thru twice each year.

One crossing occurs about late June-early July, the stream coming from the Sun's direction, hence a "daytime" display, and the Tunguska blast of 1908 is believed to be caused by an object in this stream. The other crossing occurs in the first couple of weeks of November and is from the direction of the outer Solar System, hence a night-time display. Note that prior to calender change of about 15 days that occurred in last few centuries, the end of the transit would have coincided with the end of October, and may hint at origins of Halloween.
http://www.enterprisemission.com/oh_my_god.htm

[Mountain Man]

I'm sorry; your post exceeds my panic threshhold for the forseeable future.

You may try again in 2020.

In all seriousness, I'm tired of scientists, presidents and other idiots threatening us with apocalypse at every turn - the Chicken Little Syndrome - without offering up a scrap of a solution, just more and more "dire" problems.

The next time someone threatens our existence, I am going to lobby for the death penalty for that individual unless it actually happens as predicted.

[G David Bock]

I'm sorry; your post exceeds my panic threshhold for the forseeable future.

You may try again in 2020.

In all seriousness, I'm tired of scientists, presidents and other idiots threatening us with apocalypse at every turn - the Chicken Little Syndrome - without offering up a scrap of a solution, just more and more "dire" problems.

The next time someone threatens our existence, I am going to lobby for the death penalty for that individual unless it actually happens as predicted.

Censorship, eh?!

Didn't think I was presenting a "dire prediction" (didn't make a claim of when, where, etc.), this sort of thing could occur in a few moments or a few millenia, and consequences could be such it might be a bit late for "take-backs". Irony here is our species in only the last few decades has reached a point we might be able to do something preventative and/or pro-active with rather minimumal resources.

If you're discomforted, you could do the adult thing and "change the channel", tune it out, ignore this thread, etc.

[Bwaha]

Jpl neo. Fun toy...

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/neo/

Play with it...

[G David Bock]

QUOTE:

This space rock is asteroid 2005 YU55, a veritable mini-world roughly 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide — nearly four football fields across — that will zoom by Earth inside the orbit of the moon.

At its closest approach, the asteroid will pass within 201,700 miles (325,000 kilometers) of Earth at 6:28 p.m. EDT on Nov. 8. The average distance between Earth and the moon is 240,000 miles (386,242 km).

Asteroid 2005 YU55 is set to become the object du jour for ground observers. An extensive campaign of radar, visual and infrared observations is being staged to survey this cosmic interloper.

Due to its size and proximity, YU55 was classified as a "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" several years ago. Its upcoming flyby is another wake-up call — an express mail reminder that humanity resides on a sitting duck of a planet.

Asteroid 2005 YU55's pass by Earth will be closest to date by an object this large that we know about in advance. A smaller asteroid, called 2011 CQ1, actually came closer to Earth without hitting – a record-setting approach to within 3,400 miles (5,471 kilometers) — but it was not seen in advance.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45064085...nov/?gt1=43001

[GCoyote]

If the weather cooperates I might have to wander outside and try to spot that one.

[Mountain Man]

Censorship, eh?!

Didn't think I was presenting a "dire prediction" (didn't make a claim of when, where, etc.), this sort of thing could occur in a few moments or a few millenia, and consequences could be such it might be a bit late for "take-backs". Irony here is our species in only the last few decades has reached a point we might be able to do something preventative and/or pro-active with rather minimumal resources.

If you're discomforted, you could do the adult thing and "change the channel", tune it out, ignore this thread, etc.

It's everywhere. One of the "science" channels hands out a constant diet of apocalypse films and "documentaries" presenting every imaginable scenario for the destruction of earth and Mankind.

Even the National Geographic got into it with it's dire series "Life After People".

I'm not "discomforted" - shouldn't that be "discomfited"? - but I am tired of a steady diet of Chicken Little without a disaster or two of global proportions to keep my juices flowing.

In other words...don't tease me.

[G David Bock]

It's everywhere. One of the "science" channels hands out a constant diet of apocalypse films and "documentaries" presenting every imaginable scenario for the destruction of earth and Mankind.

Even the National Geographic got into it with it's dire series "Life After People".

I'm not "discomforted" - shouldn't that be "discomfited"? - but I am tired of a steady diet of Chicken Little without a disaster or two of global proportions to keep my juices flowing.

In other words...don't tease me.

Probably "discomfited", don't always keep a dictionary or thesaurus at hand when posting.

We don't "do TV" at my household, no cable or sattelite, etc. so not aware of this programing. Partly because we don't need the added distraction nor want to pay for another service we wouldn't use much.

As I suggested earlier, you may want to be more selective in viewing choices and thread readings. Since there's both historical and future merit to the topic, I'll likely nurse this thread along for a while.

[Mountain Man]

Probably "discomfited", don't always keep a dictionary or thesaurus at hand when posting.

We don't "do TV" at my household, no cable or sattelite, etc. so not aware of this programing. Partly because we don't need the added distraction nor want to pay for another service we wouldn't use much.

As I suggested earlier, you may want to be more selective in viewing choices and thread readings. Since there's both historical and future merit to the topic, I'll likely nurse this thread along for a while.

Why wouldn't you? After all, if you have little connection to the outside world, clearly you need all the help you can get just to keep up.

All I said was that I'm personally tired of the never-ending blitz of apocalyptic scenarios.

Frankly, if an asteroid took out this planet tomorrow, I would greet it with a smile and a glass of really good single malt Scotch. Of course, without that television, you might not get the word in time to join me...

[GCoyote]

MM is right about the repetitive nature of apocalypse based programming these days. We also share the same end-of-the-world plan.

While there is literally nothing we can do about super-volcanoes or nearby supernovae, we should be able to address modest asteroid threats in the next generation. We already have enough basic spaceflight experience to rendezvous with a threatening body to study its composition and equip it with transponders for more accurate tracking. Those would be the first steps in determining whether we should attempt to deflect it, destroy it, or otherwise alter its orbit.

Now if we determined that a smallish asteroid (not enough to mess up satellite TV broadcasting) were going to smack into the DPRK, should we tell them?

[PhilipLaos]

(It's discomforted.)

What could be more interesting than being part of the generation that could witness such an event?

Especially if we can see much of it live on TV.


Philip

[Mountain Man]

MM is right about the repetitive nature of apocalypse based programming these days. We also share the same end-of-the-world plan.

While there is literally nothing we can do about super-volcanoes or nearby supernovae, we should be able to address modest asteroid threats in the next generation. We already have enough basic spaceflight experience to rendezvous with a threatening body to study its composition and equip it with transponders for more accurate tracking. Those would be the first steps in determining whether we should attempt to deflect it, destroy it, or otherwise alter its orbit.

Now if we determined that a smallish asteroid (not enough to mess up satellite TV broadcasting) were going to smack into the DPRK, should we tell them?

Sure - immediately afterwards.

[Mountain Man]

(It's discomforted.)
Philip

No - it isn't.

dis·com·fit (ds-kmft)tr.v. dis·com·fit·ed, dis·com·fit·ing, dis·com·fits 1. To make uneasy or perplexed; disconcert. See Synonyms at embarrass.
2. To thwart the plans of; frustrate.
3. Archaic To defeat in battle; vanquish.

n.

[G David Bock]

I'm thinking it could be either, depending upon the subjective position of the person on the receiving end. Is MM "perplexed, disconcerted", or finding his "plans thwarted, frustrated"? He may be at "uneasy", so it might apply in this case. But if his reaction is on a more emotional level, then upsetting his "comfort zone" would make the other term more appropriate. A case of rhetorical hair-splitting if you were to ask me.

[Mountain Man]

I'm thinking it could be either, depending upon the subjective position of the person on the receiving end. Is MM "perplexed, disconcerted", or finding his "plans thwarted, frustrated"? He may be at "uneasy", so it might apply in this case. But if his reaction is on a more emotional level, then upsetting his "comfort zone" would make the other term more appropriate. A case of rhetorical hair-splitting if you were to ask me.

I'm thinking that since I posted it, it's my call.