It sounds like a bad movie with Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis and some curvy, pretty lady. I read a news article that an asteroid the size of a tour bus zipped by the earth June 27, 2011. Zipped is the word used by the folks at NASA. They also say the asteroid was closer to the earth while zipping than some of our satellites.
They have given it a very simple name, Asteroid 2011, MD. I think they should add a C to the MD. It would stand for Mighty Damn Close. But I couldn’t get anyone at NASA to take my calls.
Ok, I am guilty of watching those movies about stopping asteroids or landing on them, something along those lines. It was years ago. My testimony is I must have been extremely bored and there couldn’t have been anything else to watch, or one of my kids talked me into it. Those movies turned out to be entertaining, but not in the way the movie big shots were going for. I found them comical.
Now I am not saying this great nation could never produce something that could land on an asteroid, or maybe build a massive laser to shoot the asteroid into a million little pieces, I just don’t see the likelihood of that happening. So if we ever hear an asteroid the size of Texas is coming straight for us, I know of only one thing we can do. Where I come from you would be advised to bend over and kiss your butt goodbye. Before that maybe get “your house in order” as they say when you should make your peace with God.
In the article after telling me how close the asteroid came to earth, they then reported that it was very unlikely the asteroid would have made it through our atmosphere. I assumed Batman was on watch that night also.
The NASA Scientists say that asteroids of this size “buzz” closely by earth every five or six years. They also stated that coming this close to our atmosphere sent this asteroid onto a new trajectory. So in a way we did prevent collision! They reported the asteroid flew well below most of our satellites and they did not feel any concern about it colliding with one of the many satellites floating around earth.
This caused me to go look for some information of just how many satellites orbit the earth. The number I found was approximately 3000. Even more interesting, I read that number concerns only man-made satellites, but all things that circle a large object is by definition a satellite and it said “space junk” orbiting the earth is in the millions.
This is from Wikipedia concerning space debris; Objects consist of everything from spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to explosion and collision fragments. The debris includes dust from solid rocket motors, surface degradation products such as paint flakes, coolant released by RORSAT nuclear powered satellites, clusters of small needles, and objects released due to the impact of micro meteoroids or fairly small debris onto spacecraft. As the orbits of these objects often overlap the trajectories of spacecraft, debris is a potential collision risk.
Watching Ben Affleck try to conquer an asteroid the size of Texas sounds much easier that trying to get out of the way of space debris.
I have no point really, I just find the whole asteroid concern moot. I understand the scientific study of these events and objects, but really there isn’t much we can do if that is what takes us out. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to cut some funding from that particular program. But, some tell me they believe we will figure out a way to deal with asteroid threats.
I recently watched a new show on TNT titled , Falling Skies. It has ugly, slimy, multi-limbed aliens, space ships, kids being used as slaves with gross things that look like centipedes on the neck and back that keep them under control. Noah Wyle from ER is the main character. The humans that remain and are trying to stand and fight are called the resistance. I have only seen two episodes thus far and I like it. I am not much of a sci-fi kind of grandma, but every now and then I find something I do enjoy.
As far as asteroids, maybe I am simply in denial and just don’t want to think about the big asteroid collision that could wipe out mankind. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. Plus it doesn’t change the fact I still have bills to pay, my husband still has to drive the big truck, and Uncle Sam wants his taxes. Those in charge do not care that the deadly asteroid “could” be zipping near us right now. I was told I still had pay by the due date.
Take care and stay safe watching the roads and not so much the skies,
KJ
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