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Crashed Asteroid Has a Tail that Keeps Getting Longer
www.universetoday.com ^
| June 4, 2013
| Nancy Atkinson on
Posted on 06/04/2013 7:10:55 AM PDT by BenLurkin
A strange comet-like object discovered in 2010 ended up being an asteroid that had been the victim of a head-on collision from another space rock. The object created a bit of buzz because of its mysterious X-shaped debris pattern and long, trailing streamers of dust. Named P/2010 A2 (LINEAR), the object is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and has been the focus of much study, including images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and many ground-based observatories. But over time, the asteroids long dust tail has grown to be so long that the entire object cant fit into the field of view of most observatories.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Science
KEYWORDS: asteroid; catastrophism; floraasteroidfamily; ktimpact; p2010a2; sourcetitlenoturl
1
posted on
06/04/2013 7:10:55 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
This photo is the one that "created a stir" -
Hubble Views of Comet-like Asteroid P/2010 A2. Credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Jewitt (UCLA)
2
posted on
06/04/2013 7:11:43 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
To: BenLurkin
The grainy film makes it look like dust, but if it was dust the chunks would be the size of cars. I suspect this is an arc discharge.
3
posted on
06/04/2013 7:16:07 AM PDT
by
American in Israel
(A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
To: BenLurkin
To: ClearCase_guy
5
posted on
06/04/2013 7:24:52 AM PDT
by
onedoug
To: BenLurkin
Looks like a klingon battle cruiser
6
posted on
06/04/2013 7:31:14 AM PDT
by
driftdiver
(I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
To: BenLurkin
Looks like the Cylons have found us.
7
posted on
06/04/2013 7:36:17 AM PDT
by
mountn man
(The Pleasure You Get From Life Is Equal To The Attitude You Put Into It)
To: BenLurkin
I wonder if they’ve ruled out a comet encrusted with meteoritic dust and fragments. Something like an ice cream rolled in chopped nuts. I have no idea if such a composite is common or even known but it would help explain a meteor-looking object with a comet like tail.
8
posted on
06/04/2013 7:46:12 AM PDT
by
muir_redwoods
(Don't fire until you see the blue of their helmets)
To: driftdiver
9
posted on
06/04/2013 7:49:27 AM PDT
by
Charles Martel
(Endeavor to persevere...)
To: BenLurkin
It's a Caldari Caracal!
10
posted on
06/04/2013 8:44:57 AM PDT
by
rarestia
(It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
To: rarestia
11
posted on
06/04/2013 12:53:14 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
To: SunkenCiv
12
posted on
06/04/2013 12:57:31 PM PDT
by
houeto
(https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
Thanks houeto, an extra to APoD members, to make up for that day I was offline and running behind.
13
posted on
06/06/2013 4:02:22 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(McCain would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
To: houeto; 75thOVI; agrace; aimhigh; Alice in Wonderland; AndrewC; aragorn; aristotleman; ...
14
posted on
06/06/2013 4:02:54 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(McCain would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
To: BenLurkin
15
posted on
06/06/2013 4:08:10 AM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
To: onedoug; ClearCase_guy
16
posted on
06/06/2013 6:09:57 AM PDT
by
null and void
(Republicans create the tools of opression, and the democrats gleefully use them!)
To: null and void
17
posted on
06/06/2013 6:13:30 AM PDT
by
onedoug
To: American in Israel
It probably started breaking up when an impact broke it up and put it on the trajectory toward the sun, hence the tail.
18
posted on
06/06/2013 3:25:02 PM PDT
by
tbw2
To: mountn man
Nope, Obama’s IRS Death Star.
19
posted on
06/06/2013 3:50:19 PM PDT
by
catfish1957
(My dream for hope and change is to see the punk POTUS in prison for treason)
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