Posted on 02/15/2013 4:17:13 AM PST by LadyEleanor
Edited on 02/15/2013 4:55:53 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
MOSCOW -- The Russian Academy of Sciences is estimating the meteor that streaked into the skies over the Ural Mountains and caused shock waves that injured more than 400 people weighed about 10 tons (11 tons avoirdupois).
The academy said in a statement hours after the Friday morning fall that the meteor entered the Earth's atmosphere at a speed of at least 54,000 kph (33,000 mph) and shattered about 30-50 kilometers (18-32 miles) above ground.
The fall caused explosions that broke glass over a wide area. The Emergency Ministry says more than 500 people sought treatment after the blasts and that 34 of them were hospitalized.
snip
People worrying about 2012 DA14 SPECIFICALLY hitting the Earth are idiots and deserve to be laughed at. Orbital mechanics and orbital prediction are very old, very well understood sciences of great precision.
I know people have an all-consuming hatred of scientists around here but I suspect that 1) the scientist was referring to DA14 specifically and 2) whatever he said is being exaggerated.
The asteroid itself will miss us by quite a bit, but no celestial rock is alone in its transit of the solar system. Something the size of DA2012 is going to have satellite rocks surrounding it. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of these stories throughout the day today.
Were these companions of the asteroid that was supposed to miss us by about 20K miles sometime Friday?
At least one Russian scientist thinks it could have been.
The asteroid is expected to pass by this afternoon ~2:00 pm EST, within 17,000 miles of earth (.09 LD). Hold onto your shorts.
Reminds me of the beginning of the “Day of the Triffids” movie.
...which one, the old one with Howard Keel, or the horrendous remake?
Further down the page from your link, it mentions that the close flyby might cause seismic activity on the asteroid as it interacts with earth’s gravity.
The flash is the meteor literally exploding from overheating and overpressure; I’d suspect that’s the cause of any damage,
An airburst. Scientists think the Tunguska Event in 1908 was an airburst from a comet. Some think it may have been a piece of short period Comet Encke.
No. It’s global mating. Mt. Everest is getting bigger, and all those little asteroids are hovering around, looking to get some action.
Exactly! I saw the headline about the meteor on YahooNews, went to the TV expecting to see more about it —— all the talk was about the effing cruise ship and the blade runner. Surprised they weren’t showing reruns of DWTS. Idiots.
Maybe, But the Ukrainian NIV uses that word to translate “Wormwood”. Perhaps it was a decision based upon local jargon, who knows. I just thought it was an interesting coincidence.
So your quibble is not with me, but with the Ukrainian Translators of the NIV.
I think it may have already started! LOL!
Chelyabinsk used to be call “tankograd”. Majority of Soviet army armor was manufactured there during last half of WWII.
The 9/11 Truthers should study Zhirinovsky, to see a real conspiracy pro at work.
Actually, this wasn’t the one they have been watching.
That one blows by us at about 2:15pm today. And is much, much larger.
Can you imagine it hitting the earth...?!
Sort of think this baby one might have been a nice warning. What if that had exploded over NYC, Miami, or LA?
geeeeez.... a couple more hours and the earth’s rotation could have placed it right over DC
You TRUST Google? :-)
Interesting!
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