Posted on 06/07/2017 6:04:32 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Czech astronomers have tracked a new branch of the stream from which particles are intersecting with the planet. The branch includes two asteroids with diameters of between 200 and 300 meters (roughly 650-1000 feet). These asteroids are not themselves on a collision course with Earth, but their identification suggests that there may be other asteroids of this size or larger lurking undiscovered within this stream.
...
The debris stream from Comet Encke is influenced in part by the gravity of Jupiter, a massive gas giant planet that is known to influence the orbits of comets and asteroids in that region of the solar system. As such, from time Jupiter’s gravity can redirect the debris so that more particles hit the Earth.
During one of these “enhanced” Taurid meteor showers in 2015 caused by Encke’s redirection, the astronomers from the Czech Academy of Sciences analyzed 144 Taurid fireballs — meteors that produce a large flash when they hit the atmosphere. Observations were taken from the European Fireball Network.
Of the analyzed fireballs, about 113 of them have common characteristics, including sharing approximately the same orbit. The astronomers concluded, based on previous showers, that these fireballs come from a new branch of the Taurid stream being redirected by Jupiter’s gravity.
Next, the astronomers analyzed the orbital paths of asteroids 2015 TX24 and 2005 UR. Due to their similarities to the newly discovered path of the Taurid fireballs, the astronomers in turn argued that these two asteroids — each about 200-300 meters in diameter — are also members of the new branch.
Analysis of the fireballs suggests that the large asteroids are weak in structure, although at larger sizes they would not break up easily in the Earth’s atmosphere.
(Excerpt) Read more at seeker.com ...
Oh...climate didn’t work! So now, our impending doom will be asteroids.
How convenient.
I guess Gore will now be peddling “Asteroid Credits”.
GLOBAL WARMING’S fault.
Do we get to implement socialism now?
This is a potentially serious problem that can be evaluated using real science not the fake speculation that asserts human caused global climate change.
“This business will get out of control and we will be lucky to live through it.”
/s
A massive space nuclear program is going to stop asteroids.
It must be the Russians!
Yes, but how would this affect global warming......
This is a potentially serious problem that can be evaluated using real science not the fake speculation that asserts human caused global climate change.
This is a risk that’s real (even if tiny), as opposed to a hoax.
Extinction by meteor strike seems much more realistic than extinction by small, incredibly slow rises in global temperature - especially since meteor strikes have previously caused several major global extinction events in the Earth’s history. Unfortunately, asteroid strikes don’t offer Leftists the same opportunities to raise taxes and seize power over energy supply and usage that the global warming cult does. Nevertheless, the world’s politicians should probably try to do something about this very real threat that could kill us all - set up far more complete monitoring and early warning systems for meteors than we currently have, and develop deflection methods if a big one is heading our way.
There is no “increased” risk. What has increased is our perception of risk. The danger from asteroids was the same before these people did their study, as it is afterwards.
Don’t mistake perception for reality.
CNN Sez: Trump’s Fault
The increased risk is created by the influence of Jupiter’s gravity upon the Taurid meteor showers.
Can’t this all be solved if only the USA would shovel billions of dollars into some sort of an international slush fund?
Women and minorities hardest hit again?
I’m holding even tighter to my wallet.
Bigly
Bruce Willis, paging Bruce Willis.
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