Lets say the object is 5 miles in diameter and moving at 35 km per second.
2007-10-31 05:29:52 · 10 answers · asked by curious_inquisitor 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
vishal D - What if after you factor in the Earth's gravitational affect, the object only comes within 15 miles, and just misses us? At 35 km per sec, an object could sustain its trajectory in spite of its close proximity to Earth.
2007-10-31 05:48:07 · update #1
Jason - Wouldn't an object this massive and at this speed, pass through the atmosphere virtually unaffected by drag?
2007-10-31 05:52:08 · update #2
I for one would imagine that at 15 miles a large comet. (You do realize Hale Bopp had a 50 km nucleus don't you?) Would create a heck of a flash of light and the mother of all sonic booms due to the size of the shock wave.
Massive forest fires ignited by the heat and flash would probably occur over several thousand square Km.
It might be fun to watch on the news but only from the other side of the planet.
2007-10-31 07:57:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's happened. There are videos & movies of rocks entering the Earth's atmosphere, leaving a trail, then continuing on it's journey.
Even a large rock - if moving fast enough - won't affect us very much; 15 miles is damn close, but really - unless it hits a U2 or other high-flying plane, or takes out a satellite or two on it's way in or out - it'll cause some sonic booms & force the government to accelerate their program on deflecting asteroids in the future.
2007-10-31 13:44:31 · answer #2 · answered by quantumclaustrophobe 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
15 miles isn't a near miss. That is significantly below the orbits of the shuttle, ISS and every other satellite ever launched. It is too deep in the atmosphere to avoid massive drag and frictional heating. It will slow as a result, just as the shuttle does when it re-enters, and impact the surface.
2007-10-31 12:47:00 · answer #3 · answered by Jason T 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
15 miles is not a miss. It's a hit. There would be a massive explosion equivalent to the simultaneous detonation of tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of nuclear weapons.
This would trigger an immediate, major, mass extinction event, which would remove almost all life, apart from perhaps a few bacteria in the deep oceans, from the surface of the planet.
2007-10-31 13:24:33 · answer #4 · answered by doshiealan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All technicalities aside, if the object did not actually hit (or explode in the air), then there would be no effects on Earth. Possibly, if it skimmed through the atmosphere before leaving, it would be such a bright meteor that people looking at it might be blinded, but I suspect that the brightness would cause people to instinctively close their eyes, just like when looking at the Sun.
2007-10-31 13:36:23 · answer #5 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm not an expert, but I'd say it would impact earth or cause a serious danger in some way. 15 miles isn't very much distance!! Lets think 150,000 miles!! Thats even to close!
2007-10-31 13:10:04 · answer #6 · answered by bdhartma 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
15 miles???? It won't miss earth. It will for sure hit earth. The gravitational pull of earth will pull it.
2007-10-31 12:40:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The asteroid would probably release dangerous gases and chemicals into the atmosphere and perhaps cause us to produce physical symptoms such as nausea and migraines.
2007-10-31 12:39:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It would scare the daylights out of us.
2007-10-31 12:34:49 · answer #9 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
tHERE WOULD BE A HUGE CELEBRATION PARTY.
2007-10-31 12:46:15 · answer #10 · answered by Renaissance Man 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋