Wednesday, October 7, 2009

NASA Downgrades Asteroid-Strike Threat

We may have dodged this bullet, but the awful truth is that tens of thousands of these things are zipping through space at great speeds. Many in paths we know about but most remain undetected in their flights around the sun. As late as the 1950's astronomers used to look at the moons many craters thinking that these huge craters were caused by volcanic activity only in later years did we learn that these many craters were caused by the violent impacts of asteroids and meteorite's. And in recent years we are beginning to see the many large asteroid impact sites all over the earth. These were difficult to locate due to the weathering process that exist here on Earth, but with the help of satellite imaging hundreds of major impact sites have been located. Many of these craters are miles across and if such an event would occur today life as we know it would cease. The impact of an asteroid only one mile in diameter in California would create a land tidal wave hundreds of feet high that would sweep across the United States at a speed of about 500 miles an hour literally going coast to coast destroying everything in it path with a resulting dust cloud that would cover the entire earth causing severe climatic changes for tens of years.

The odds are against this happening in our life-time. But the fact is that it will happen again and again in the future and there is little we can do to prevent it. And another frightening truth exist. If such a object is on path to impact the earth in the near future and the authorities know about it you can be sure we, the public will be left in the dark. We will not know the awful truth until the atmosphere is set on fire by the heat of entry and we view the massive fire ball that pushes up through the stratosphere. A fireball that will be seen for hundreds of miles from the impact point. And then we will hear the distant rumble of the fast approaching tidal wave of earth that is barreling down on us with the speed of a jet plane. Not a pretty picture, but a reality that is unavoidable and final! Man-made global warming, Ha! This could be the real thing!


NASA says the chances of an 885-foot (270-meter) asteroid striking Earth in 2036 have been downgraded.

Scientists initially believed there was a 1-in-45,000 chance that Apophis could hit the planet on April 13, 2036. But NASA said Wednesday the threat has been dropped to 1-in-250,000 after it recalculated the asteriod's path.

Earth got a scare in 2004, when initial readings suggested the newly discovered Apophis seemed to have a chance of hitting in 2029. Further observations ruled out any possibility of an impact. read more from FOX News

16 comments:

TexasFred said...

Ya know, I worry about a lot of things, but they are things I can change, or at least affect...

This isn't one of them...

Ron Russell said...

Right Fred, no need to worry until you see it coming then just pray.

Anonymous said...

An asteroid of just 1 mile in diameter could do that! Doesn't seem possible.

Ron Russell said...

The one that hit at Winslow, Arizona was believed to be only 30 meters wide. So multiply that by 50. Remember the Winslow crater is a mile wide and I forget how deep.

Snarky Basterd said...

Meanwhile, NASA will bomb the moon with a $79 million spacecraft tonight while we sleep.

My share of that $79 million might pay for the drywall I ripped out of my flooded basement.

But I do hope the bombing kills those evil moonbats up there.

Ron Russell said...

It's strange drilling for water on the moon, but not drilling for oil in the Gulf---did I miss something!

Right Truth said...

As the song says "It's Just A Matter Of Time..."

But I don't worry about things like that either. What will be, will be. God's still in control so I will leave the worry up to Him.

Deborah F. Hamilton
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com

Ron Russell said...

I don't worry about it either Debbie, no more than global warming for sure. But when the sky lights up and the earth trembles I will begin to worry.

The Right Look said...

Not even close! ;) BTW, that's a near hit, not a near miss!

I can see it now! Picture this.
Your sitting on your front porch.
You hear something and say to your spouse. "Did you hear some...?"
That's all you'd get out and then a VERY loud noise!

The everything goes black.
God forbid!

BTW: Ron, check out the cartoon on my site tonight!

Go GOP!
Go Newt!
God bless America!

-j-

Ron Russell said...

You've got it right and the curtain drops---end of the play!

TexasFred said...

Well Ron, if we see it coming we need to bend over, place our heads between our legs and kiss our asses good-bye!

Ron Russell said...

It will happen, but hopefully not for a while. I'm not ready to kiss my ass good-bye!

Bitmap said...

I think congress should pass legislation outlawing the impact of asteroids anywhere in the United States. They should also pass legislation making it illegal for the dust clouds or tsunamis from asteroid strikes elsewhere in the world to have an impact on the United States.

That should solve the problem in the same manner that outlawing suvs will change the output of the sun.

While congress is at it they could pass legislation that would hold God financially and criminally responsible for any and all "acts of God" that insurance companies don't want to cover.

Ron Russell said...

I like that Bitmap--great idea!

James said...

Dittos Ron!
Thanks for visiting Dittos Rush! I LOVE some of your photos especially the one above. That is so cool! I'll link to you as well and look forward to reading you!
James

Ron Russell said...

Sounds great James. Thanks for the link!