I just had a dream about it.
2007-11-29 14:52:26 · 15 answers · asked by WTF? 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
If something hit the moon such that it pushed into the earth, or if hiot it so that it stopped orbiting around the earth this could happen. In the latter case the gravitational force between the moon and the earth would cause the collision. I wouldn't worry about this too much. It isn't very probable.
2007-11-29 15:00:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The Moon is so massive and its orbit so stable that it would take a very big crash to cause it to lose all this orbital energy.
Even better, because the Moon (through its tidal effect) is slowing down Earth's rotation, it is gaining all this energy that it removes from Earth's rotation. Therefore, the Moon's orbit is getting bigger (by over 4 cm per year -- over 1 inch per year).
If an object massive (and fast) enough crashed into the Moon in such a way as to remove its orbital energy, our immediate problem would not be the Moon crashing down on us, but the pieces of the two colliding bodies that would fly off in all direction (including towards us) at the speed of bullets.
There is nothing known in the solar system that is massive enough, fast enough and on an orbit that could come in our neighbourhood. A hit by a small asteroid might cause damage (and big pieces to fly towards us) but it would be insufficient to crash the Moon. You'd need something of the size of a dwarf planet (and there aren't very many of those, except beyond Neptune).
2007-11-29 15:14:05 · answer #2 · answered by Raymond 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Nah, I'd only bounce off again.
Fact is the dear old Moon is getting further and further from the Earth every year. Every year! Jeez! Imagine that!. So it looks as if that particular old pile of rock isn't going to hit us anytime soon. Pity , isn't it. Oh well, I'm off Bye -ee.
2007-11-29 19:25:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon is moving a way from us and it has never crashed in to us. ever
2007-11-29 15:03:51 · answer #4 · answered by peterson_c_r 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Wow, thats crazy, I take a physics class and we just talked about this. It actually could happen if something were to hit it, it could change the gravitational pull. Start dreamin it wont happen lol.
2007-11-29 15:00:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
only if a huge force hit it in the direction of the Earth. other than that, no, it is trapped in the Earth's gravitational track.
2007-11-29 14:56:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Not really. It would take a gigantic amount of power to force it out of it's orbit and make it fall to Earth.
2007-11-29 14:55:30 · answer #7 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
no it is trapped in earth's gravitational force but it it is hit by an object hard enough i guess it could come crashuing into earth
2007-11-29 14:55:28 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
No. It is in its own orbit, as is the earth.
2007-11-29 15:01:17 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
gosh thats scary...actually i think theres a movie where that happens
2007-11-29 14:56:20 · answer #10 · answered by OC 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋