We are aware of the biggies, and are keeping track of them to the extent we can predict their rough trajectories decades in advance. However the tiny ones such as the Russian impact we can't predict as of yet.
We are aware of the biggies, and are keeping track of them to the extent we can predict their rough trajectories decades in advance. However the tiny ones such as the Russian impact we can't predict as of yet.
Imagine the damage if hundreds of small ones fell. It could be catastrophic. I am scaring myself now
Just remember that you're more likely to be hit by lightening on your birthday, and then again on your next birthday, and possibly the birthday after that, than being hit by a meteorite. Most get burned up in the atmosphere. The really dangerous ones that could wipe out life are out there, but hopefully by the time we realise an extinction level impact is unavoidable, we'll have some kind of plan
If no survival plan was in place, then my personal plan would be to settle some scores before the big day
Just remember that you're more likely to be hit by lightening on your birthday, and then again on your next birthday, and possibly the birthday after that, than being hit by a meteorite. Most get burned up in the atmosphere. The really dangerous ones that could wipe out life are out there, but hopefully by the time we realise an extinction level impact is unavoidable, we'll have some kind of plan
If no survival plan was in place, then my personal plan would be to settle some scores before the big day
Looks like a survival plan is quite a way off yet so you might get your wish
Just remember that you're more likely to be hit by lightening on your birthday, and then again on your next birthday, and possibly the birthday after that, than being hit by a meteorite. Most get burned up in the atmosphere. The really dangerous ones that could wipe out life are out there, but hopefully by the time we realise an extinction level impact is unavoidable, we'll have some kind of plan
If no survival plan was in place, then my personal plan would be to settle some scores before the big day
Just remember that you're more likely to be hit by lightening on your birthday, and then again on your next birthday, and possibly the birthday after that, than being hit by a meteorite. Most get burned up in the atmosphere. The really dangerous ones that could wipe out life are out there, but hopefully by the time we realise an extinction level impact is unavoidable, we'll have some kind of plan
If no survival plan was in place, then my personal plan would be to settle some scores before the big day
Realistically, if any large meteor is heading earthwards, there's not much planning could be done other than try and evacuate as much as possible around the predicted impact zone.
As history teaches us, there's no point trying to defeat nature. It'll happen whatever.
Realistically, if any large meteor is heading earthwards, there's not much planning could be done other than try and evacuate as much as possible around the predicted impact zone.
As history teaches us, there's no point trying to defeat nature. It'll happen whatever.
I watched the live NASA thread at 7pm tonight for half an hour - and what a farce it was! Mostly a media woman thanking people in different observatories for their input. No real live updates - and had the feeling that no one there had any idea of what was happening.
Seems that asteroid alerts are largely in the hands of amateur astronomers. Makes you wonder what the annual NASA budget is.
There is a protocol for reporting asteroids to NASA through the Minor Planets Centre. This Horizon episode was on TV again just before Xmas showing the detection of a 2008 asteroid airburst in Sudan and the famous one from 1908 in Siberia: http://youtu.be/Ake18DGolg0?t=46m10s
We are aware of the biggies, and are keeping track of them to the extent we can predict their rough trajectories decades in advance. However the tiny ones such as the Russian impact we can't predict as of yet.
We were only aware of the several times larger 2012 DA14 since 2012. If that one was going to hit us, we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it.
We still need to ramp up our ability to find these things.
Comments
Imagine the damage if hundreds of small ones fell. It could be catastrophic. I am scaring myself now
Just remember that you're more likely to be hit by lightening on your birthday, and then again on your next birthday, and possibly the birthday after that, than being hit by a meteorite. Most get burned up in the atmosphere. The really dangerous ones that could wipe out life are out there, but hopefully by the time we realise an extinction level impact is unavoidable, we'll have some kind of plan
If no survival plan was in place, then my personal plan would be to settle some scores before the big day
Looks like a survival plan is quite a way off yet so you might get your wish
http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/natural-disasters/three-unanswered-questions-about-the-russian-meteor-15104678
I love this post
http://www.spaceguarduk.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceguard
http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/downloads/spacesurvey.pdf
how can you track those.
maybe a fragment broke off the big one that passed today.
Realistically, if any large meteor is heading earthwards, there's not much planning could be done other than try and evacuate as much as possible around the predicted impact zone.
As history teaches us, there's no point trying to defeat nature. It'll happen whatever.
And if it fell into sea imagine the tidal wave.
Seems that asteroid alerts are largely in the hands of amateur astronomers. Makes you wonder what the annual NASA budget is.
Very little these days.
Thought I think the JPL/Caltech does get it's fair share of research grants from the US Govt.
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/622643main_FY%2013%20Budget%20Presentation.pdf
== $54 per person per annum
US defense budget 2013 $716 billion.
So, what's a comet?
A Comet used to be a shop where I live
We were only aware of the several times larger 2012 DA14 since 2012. If that one was going to hit us, we wouldn't have been able to do anything about it.
We still need to ramp up our ability to find these things.
It wasn't, it was travelling in a different direction.
It was to small to be detected, thousands of meteors hit our atmosphere every year and burn up. Very few land.
It's the ones that land that concern me.