Posted on 09/07/2014 10:25:59 PM PDT by blam
AFP
ASeptember 8, 2014
Managua (AFP) - A mysterious explosion that rocked Nicaragua's crowded capital Managua, creating a large crater, appears to have been caused by a small meteorite, officials said Sunday.
Amazingly, in a sprawling city of 1.2 million people, the impact near the international airport did not cause any known injuries, but it did leave a crater measuring 12 meters (39 feet) across and was felt throughout the capital late on Saturday.
Nicaraguan authorities believe it was a piece of the small asteroid dubbed "2014 RC," which passed very close to Earth on Sunday and was estimated by astronomers to be about 20 meters big, or the size of a house.
"We are convinced that this was a meteorite. We have seen the crater from the impact," said Wilfredo Strauss of the Seismic Institute.
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(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
this is the beginning of many a zombie movie.
Considering examples of these go for $1000's, you are damn right I would have a metal detector combing that crater before the first suit showed up. And as far as confiscation, they would have to check the same lake my guns fell into.
Excellent!
Gravitational forces could definitely pull an asteroid apart, especially if it is more of a clump of material(s) or “pieces” held together by it’s own / their own (very weak) gravity, as opposed to the solid chunk of rock most people think of. A small asteroid can even have it’s own smaller “moons”. Of course, that brings up an interesting question: When are separate pieces considered individual bodies?
This is also interesting, because it shows that smaller bodies can get through and cause deadly local destruction. If that thing had thumped a building full of people... :-(
On the other hand, if it was one of Obama’s friends, he sure landed hard!
Thanks gleeaikin. Too bad it didn't bullseye Ortaga.
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