Comets are by far the bigger danger then asteroids IMO.

We are in the process of tracking all major (1/2mile + I think) asteroids in the asteroid belt but we dont even bother with comets. The ort cloud around our solar system contains trillions of such objects in 3 dimensions compared to the narrow and flat asteroid belt.

These things can come at us from any direction and they are often so huge nothing we could do would stop them. The Ort cloud extends halfway to the nearest star and as other stars with their own ort clouds rotate around the milkway they can on occasion bump each other and send massive amounts comets into the inner solar system.

So the tails going to hit the atmosphere and spread cynadide and arsenic gases all over the world right?

Okay everybody, line upand get the gas maskes, only $29.95, if you dont get it the comet will getcha. It'll sneak into your home at night and kidnap your children.


One thing though thats scary about comets, is that currently, we have deflection plans for meteors, but we cant do anything about comets. Theyre too big. So if one is headed towards us, even if it was spotted 16 light months away (is that an actual measurement, btw?) we couldnt do anything about them.

Originally posted by WolfofWar
One thing though thats scary about comets, is that currently, we have deflection plans for meteors, but we cant do anything about comets. Theyre too big. So if one is headed towards us, even if it was spotted 16 light months away (is that an actual measurement, btw?) we couldnt do anything about them.

Thats what I find so scary about them, all we could do is start building bunkers really fast Our only really option in short notice would be using nuclear weapons and that wouldn't work with a large comet. Like if shoemaker levy 9 was heading towards earth we would be pretty boned.

Thankfully Jupiter took one for the team that time

Originally posted by WolfofWar
One thing though thats scary about comets, is that currently, we have deflection plans for meteors, but we cant do anything about comets. Theyre too big. So if one is headed towards us, even if it was spotted 16 light months away (is that an actual measurement, btw?) we couldnt do anything about them.

Sounds like somebody else watched that Comet special on the History Channel last night.

Aside from the size of the comets being a problem, the speed is even worse. Most asteroids orbit at about 17 km/s while most comets orbit at about 51 km/s. Of course, both can attain speeds of up to 72 km/s, but I think that that would be on the very rare chance.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
Thats what I find so scary about them, all we could do is start building bunkers really fast Our only really option in short notice would be using nuclear weapons and that wouldn't work with a large comet. Like if shoemaker levy 9 was heading towards earth we would be pretty boned.

Thankfully Jupiter took one for the team that time

I doubt if even bunkers would work, to be honest. You would have the shock wave traveling through the ground, like in an earthquake. You would get the surface wave (unless you were deep enough, but I think that that would have to be a few miles, if not deeper) and then you would get the internal wave echoing around inside the Earth. Either way, if the impact were strong enough, the quakes would probably crush you.

And Jupiter has taken millions, if not billions, over the years for us.

cmdrkeenkid

don't you find it a bit unsettling that 2 weeks ago the nearest fragment was calculated to be 6 million miles away, and as of recently a new fragment has been calculated to approach w/i 3 million miles?

I would imagine all of the great telescopes are using a portion of their observing time on this unfolding situation in an effort to calculate trajectories of each new fragment as it splits away.

I truly hope that all we get is a meteor storm, but i am not certain.

Originally posted by jdjaguar
don't you find it a bit unsettling that 2 weeks ago the nearest fragment was calculated to be 6 million miles away, and as of recently a new fragment has been calculated to approach w/i 3 million miles?

Not really, no. We have stuff larger than that come closer to us than the Moon ever does fairly often.

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
I doubt if even bunkers would work, to be honest. You would have the shock wave traveling through the ground, like in an earthquake. You would get the surface wave (unless you were deep enough, but I think that that would have to be a few miles, if not deeper) and then you would get the internal wave echoing around inside the Earth. Either way, if the impact were strong enough, the quakes would probably crush you.

Really? Do you think something like NORAD could survive if very far away from the impact (like the other side of the planet) . It sits on massive shock absorbers to help absorb the impact of a nuclear hit.

If it was anywhere close to NORAD im sure it would be game over nukes would be like a firecracker compared to a large comet impact. I always assumed nuclear bunkers would be able to survive if far enough away from the impact.

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
And Jupiter has taken millions, if not billions, over the years for us.

Good old Jupiter Its like our solar systems all star center fielder catching all those impacts for us.

"Not really, no. We have stuff larger than that come closer to us than the Moon ever does fairly often. "

but those orbits are predictable, are they not?

I believe it has been proven that this cometary disintegration is anything but predictable.

Originally posted by ShadowXIX
Really? Do you think something like NORAD could survive if very far away from the impact (like the other side of the planet) . It sits on massive shock absorbers to help absorb the impact of a nuclear hit.

If it was anywhere close to NORAD im sure it would be game over nukes would be like a firecracker compared to a large comet impact. I always assumed nuclear bunkers would be able to survive if far enough away from the impact.

Yeah, I really don't know. If it were on the direct, oppisite side of the Earth though I would have to say that it would actually have less of a chance of survival than if it were say, only a quarter of the way around the world.

Why is that? Because then you would have that shockwave that travels inside the Earth hitting directly straight on, and not in a glancing blow.

Good old Jupiter Its like our solar systems all star center fielder catching all those impacts for us.

Of course, it also has the abilty to fling stuff at us.

Originally posted by jdjaguar
but those orbits are predictable, are they not?

Not until we first see them, they can really come from any direction and there is no database of the vast vast majority of these objects. The real trouble could be when another star's Oort Clouds or gravity affects our own Oort cloud that could violently redistribute comets within our Oort cloud sending any number of comets into course through the inner solar system

If a really big comet was on a course for earth even if we had say 20 years warning I dont think there would be much we could do. So to do anything we would really need a very long warning.

[edit on 6-4-2006 by ShadowXIX]

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
Of course, anyone who has read Larry Niven's Lucifer's Hammer may be preparing for a Hot Fudge Sunday!

That was an EXCELLENT book!! It's funny you brought it up. I was
just thinking about it a few days ago and I wondered where my copy
has gone to. It would make a fantastic movie!

Originally posted by jdjaguar
but those orbits are predictable, are they not?

I believe it has been proven that this cometary disintegration is anything but predictable.

The orbits of the comet are just as predictable. If not even a bit more, since comets tend to be a bit easier to see.

And while the disintigration itself may be hard to predict, the fragments still follow pretty much the same path as before.

"And while the disintigration itself may be hard to predict, the fragments still follow pretty much the same path as before. "

if that were true, how does one account for fragment x?

3,000,000 miles closer is not a similar orbit in my view.

The most important possibility that lies in this comet is a key sign of the advent of the prophecies by John the Apostle in Revelations. Read Revelations chapters 6 thru 8.

What I'd be looking for is a cloud of comet debris that makes the face of the Sun appear as through black sackcloth (potato sack)....and the refraction of the sun's light as it passes through the icy debris field causes the Moon to turn red.

Originally posted by jdjaguar
if that were true, how does one account for fragment x?

3,000,000 miles closer is not a similar orbit in my view.

Think of it like a shotgun blast. As the comet moves farther and farther from where it broke up, the pieces will spread out farther and farther.

Now that I realize it, though, there is not fragment labeled "X" yet. The "X" in the title means that the comet is disintigrating. Previously it was "P" meaning that it was a periodic (orbiting the Sun) comet.

Also, on the page you're getting the information from NASA has this to say:

The applet was implemented using only 2-body methods, and hence should not be used for determining accurate... planetary encounter circumstances.

Originally posted by davenman
The most important possibility that lies in this comet is a key sign of the advent of the prophecies by John the Apostle in Revelations. Read Revelations chapters 6 thru 8.

What I'd be looking for is a cloud of comet debris that makes the face of the Sun appear as through black sackcloth (potato sack)....and the refraction of the sun's light as it passes through the icy debris field causes the Moon to turn red.

And why wouldn't that pertain for a Solar/Lunar eclipse cycle? A Solar eclipse happens and the Sun is blocked out entirely. Then, two weeks later (or before, depending) there's a Lunar eclipse which will, if total, will make the Moon turn a blood red color.

These predictions and prophecies are all so vague that they could be applied to just about anything. Not to mention, I believe it says in the Bible that no one can know when the end times will begin.

[edit on 4/6/2006 by cmdrkeenkid]

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid

Originally posted by jdjaguar
but those orbits are predictable, are they not?

I believe it has been proven that this cometary disintegration is anything but predictable.

The orbits of the comet are just as predictable. If not even a bit more, since comets tend to be a bit easier to see.

And while the disintigration itself may be hard to predict, the fragments still follow pretty much the same path as before.

But is it not true that if an eruption of gas from within the comet is expelled in any direction, it can drastically change the comets course? Wouldnt that make it much more unpredictable, or is that just a rare occurance?

Originally posted by cmdrkeenkid
Now that I realize it, though, there is not fragment labeled "X" yet. The "X" in the title means that the comet is disintigrating. Previously it was "P" meaning that it was a periodic (orbiting the Sun) comet.

Keen, There is a part X already known. It just hasn't been posted to the NASA website yet because they haven't calculated its' trajectory yet. I believe that they have officially labelled fragments up to Y as of a couple of days ago. There may be more by now though.

And why wouldn't that pertain for a Solar/Lunar eclipse cycle? A Solar eclipse happens and the Sun is blocked out entirely. Then, two weeks later (or before, depending) there's a Lunar eclipse which will, if total, will make the Moon turn a blood red color.

These predictions and prophecies are all so vague that they could be applied to just about anything. Not to mention, I believe it says in the Bible that no one can know when the end times will begin.

I'm quite sure that the Apostle John was aware of the effects of eclipses in his day. Eclipses were not unknown phenomenon then.

The prophecy states that the sun will appear as black sackcloth, not totally black. I also read somewhere in another prophecy that a broken comet would mark the end of times.

Now about the Bible saying that we won't know when....Jesus stated that the day and hour of his return was only for The Father to know. Paul wrote in his letters to us that we are to be aware of the years and seasons and to know when the time is near....

The time is near.