Channel Button

There are 4 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #1 by Helium's members.

Sciences   >

Astronomy

Get a Widget for this title

What happens when a meteor is on a collision course with Earth

An impact event is what happens when a meteor is on a collision course with earth, and impact events can cause massive loss of life. That's why scientist study and research small objects that hit the earth all the time, because a collision with Earth can also come from large meteoroids, asteroids and comets too.




THE CONSEQUENCE OF IMPACT EVENTS:




When Apollo 13 tried to land on the moon, unsuccessfully, one of the Astronauts described what he pondered while gazing out of the capsule's window at Earth. In so many words he told himself to forget about the moon. Placing his thumb over his view of Earth, how incredible it seemed that just his thumb could make Earth disappear from his universal view. That's when he began to comprehend how small we are and how vulnerable Earth is when compared to the massive space of objects in the universe.




An impact event from a collision of large objects falling from the universe can be catastrophic, but there is a reverse relationship between the size of the object and the frequency that objects hit the earth. Asteroids with a 1 km diameter impact the Earth every 500,000 years on average, and large collisions with five kilometer objects happen about once every ten million years, so most people, and even those more aware of what an impact event means, don't stay awake all night worrying. The last impact of an object of 10 km or more in diameter impacted Earth 65 million years ago.




Scientists say Asteroids with diameters of 5-10 km impact the Earth's atmosphere approximately once a year with as much energy as the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. So far, they ordinarily explode in the upper atmosphere and most of its mass is vaporized before it can reach us, but objects of diameters of 50 meters tend to strike Earth about once every thousand years. When they do, they produce explosions comparable to the one observed at Tunguska in 1908. The next known asteroid with a diameter of more than 1 km is expected to hit the Earth sometime around 2880.




DOCUMENTED IMPACT EVENT: WHAT HAPPENED AT TUNGUSKA




Witness accounts of the Tunguska Event help us see the reality of what happens when a meteor or any object from space is on a collision course with Earth. Repeated testimony tells us of strange sounds being heard right before the impact event. When it comes to the speed of sound in Earth's atmosphere, the reports of strange sounds in advance seem unbelievable, but it's possible because, "electro phonic sounds," are heard before the time of the


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

What happens when a meteor is on a collision course with Earth

  • 1 of 4

    by Vicki Phipps

    An impact event is what happens when a meteor is on a collision course with earth, and impact events can cause massive loss

    read more

  • 2 of 4

    by Tenebris

    Earth has been hit by meteors many times in its history. In fact, earth is hit by meteors many times each and every day,

    read more

  • 3 of 4

    by Joel Stottlemire

    There seems to be a perception in the community that the Earth would somehow be better off being struck by an icy comet rather

    read more

  • 4 of 4

    by Cerys Tyler

    There are many research groups, scientists, and schools, which receive untold millions of dollars each year from the federal

    read more

Add your voice

Know something about What happens when a meteor is on a collision course with Earth?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Mars methane: Geology or biology?

Click for your side.

239125

Featured Partner

American Skating Association

We happen to think skating - in all forms is good for people of most ages. It is the one form of exercise that you ca...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA