TheByte

NSL · 12-24-2007, 05:16 PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mars could be in for an asteroid hit.
A newly discovered hunk of space rock has a 1 in 75 chance of slamming into the Red Planet on Jan. 30, scientists said Thursday.

"These odds are extremely unusual. We frequently work with really long odds when we track ... threatening asteroids," said Steve Chesley, an astronomer with the Near Earth Object Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was discovered in late November and is similar in size to an object that hit remote central Siberia in unleashing energy equivalent to a 15-megaton nuclear bomb and wiping out 60 million trees.

Scientists tracking the asteroid, currently halfway between Earth and Mars, initially put the odds of impact at 1 in 350 but increased the chances this week. Scientists expect the odds to diminish again early next month after getting new observations of the asteroid's orbit, Chesley said.

"We know that it's going to fly by Mars and most likely going to miss, but there's a possibility of an impact," he said.

If the asteroid does smash into Mars, it will probably hit near the equator close to where the rover Opportunity has been exploring the Martian plains since 2004. The robot is not in danger because it lies outside the impact zone. Speeding at 8 miles a second, a collision would carve a hole the size of the famed Meteor Crater in Arizona.

In 1994, fragments of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smacked into Jupiter, creating a series of overlapping fireballs in space. Astronomers have yet to witness an asteroid impact with another planet.

"Unlike an Earth impact, we're not afraid, but we're excited," Chesley said.

___

On the Net:

Near Earth Object Program: Near-Earth Object Program

Source: Asteroid May Hit Mars in Next Month

Michael · 12-24-2007, 07:56 PM

Why would they be excited? To see what the impact would do to the planet?

Mikael · 12-25-2007, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael

Why would they be excited? To see what the impact would do to the planet?

Yup, and because such big collisions are extremely rare.

Yannis · 12-25-2007, 04:19 PM

A 1 in 75 chance? It's not gonna happen.

12-24-2007, 05:16 PM	#1
NSL Where's the pub? Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 314 Thanks: 89 Thanked 120 Times in 71 Posts	Asteroid May Hit Mars in Next Month LOS ANGELES (AP) - Mars could be in for an asteroid hit. A newly discovered hunk of space rock has a 1 in 75 chance of slamming into the Red Planet on Jan. 30, scientists said Thursday. "These odds are extremely unusual. We frequently work with really long odds when we track ... threatening asteroids," said Steve Chesley, an astronomer with the Near Earth Object Program at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The asteroid, known as 2007 WD5, was discovered in late November and is similar in size to an object that hit remote central Siberia in unleashing energy equivalent to a 15-megaton nuclear bomb and wiping out 60 million trees. Scientists tracking the asteroid, currently halfway between Earth and Mars, initially put the odds of impact at 1 in 350 but increased the chances this week. Scientists expect the odds to diminish again early next month after getting new observations of the asteroid's orbit, Chesley said. "We know that it's going to fly by Mars and most likely going to miss, but there's a possibility of an impact," he said. If the asteroid does smash into Mars, it will probably hit near the equator close to where the rover Opportunity has been exploring the Martian plains since 2004. The robot is not in danger because it lies outside the impact zone. Speeding at 8 miles a second, a collision would carve a hole the size of the famed Meteor Crater in Arizona. In 1994, fragments of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smacked into Jupiter, creating a series of overlapping fireballs in space. Astronomers have yet to witness an asteroid impact with another planet. "Unlike an Earth impact, we're not afraid, but we're excited," Chesley said. ___ On the Net: Near Earth Object Program: Near-Earth Object Program Source: Asteroid May Hit Mars in Next Month

12-24-2007, 07:56 PM	#2
Michael Fanatic Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 2,150 Thanks: 109 Thanked 184 Times in 106 Posts	Re: Asteroid May Hit Mars in Next Month Why would they be excited? To see what the impact would do to the planet?

12-25-2007, 04:19 PM	#4
Yannis Philosopher Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 5,656 Thanks: 52 Thanked 26 Times in 20 Posts	Re: Asteroid May Hit Mars in Next Month A 1 in 75 chance? It's not gonna happen.

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