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Asteroids torn apart by Earth

Posted by michael on from the better-than-the-other-way-around dept.

douglips writes "BBC News has a story about near-Earth Asteroids being broken up by Earth's tidal forces. The binary asteroid systems are studied to learn the density of the bodies, which is just the sort of thing you need to know if you want to nudge one out of a collision course with Earth."

8 of 21 comments (clear)

  1. asteroid light curves by psychopoet · · Score: 4, Informative

    The rotation curve for an asteroid is often determined by measuring the change in brightness of an asteroid over time. Plotting the light detected versus time yields a somewhat sinusoidal curve, which is usually interpreted to be due to the rotation period of a non-spherical asteroid. If binary NEAs are common, then what some of these light curves may actually be showing is the orbital period of the binary system (if they are synchronous this will be the same thing as the rotation period of the smaller component). This could mean a new interpretation of what may be behind some of these light curves.

    As a further comment, the existence of double impact craters is not necessarily suggestive of binary asteroid systems -- an asteroid is more likely to break apart when it actually enters the Earth's atmosphere than in more distant encounters, so it's probably not good to assume that the system had already broken up and become a binary during a previous encounter.

  2. About time! by Rick+the+Red · · Score: 3, Funny
    It's about time Earth started fighting back! I hope we killed all their dinosaurs, too!

    --
    If all this should have a reason, we would be the last to know.
    1. Re:About time! by zangdesign · · Score: 4, Funny

      Shame on you! Those asteroids are a natural resource that should be protected for all ages. Just because we're raping the ecosystem and pillaging the natural resources of Mother Earth, or Gaeia, as I like to call her, does not give us the right to rape and pillage outer space.

      We need to set up a commission to study and develop plans for the immediate eradication of all tidal forces, especially those killer, destructive ones!

      --
      To celebrate the occasion of my 1000th post, I will post no more forever on Slashdot. Goodbye.
    2. Re:About time! by sean23007 · · Score: 2

      But wait a second: if a pristine universe is useless with nobody around to see it, why would we want less people? If anything, that is a reason to have even more people, so that we can send them out around the galaxies to admire its beauty.

      --

      Lack of eloquence does not denote lack of intelligence, though they often coincide.
  3. Re:I love asteroid theory... by !splut · · Score: 2, Funny

    Asteroid study is a beautiful thing. Not only may we owe our evolutionary path to these speedy hunks of angry rock, but without them, we wouldn't have such quality films as Deep Impact and Armageddon, and thought provoking novels, such as 2061, by Arthur C Clarke.

    Oh wait... that wasn't an asteroid, it was a comet... Of course, it wasn't thought proviking either.

    --
    The angel in the oatmeal.
  4. can't get enough of this by adminispheroid · · Score: 2, Funny

    Somebody at slashdot really really has a hardon for asteroids hitting the Earth. We've been averaging a story a month on this topic over the last year.

  5. Re:Bellis is approaching!!!! by Picass0 · · Score: 2


    Bellis is the rogue planet from "When Worlds Collide."

    "Nine days until Bellis" is a reference to the countdown that is played out in a very over the top way later in the film.

    Moderators who don't understand film trivia suck.

  6. Recorded in Alien Battlecruiser, Earth Year 1946 by Herak · · Score: 4, Funny
    Zeetlix: Excuse me Commander Zoltrax... won't the earthlings notice when our probe ships burst out of the astroids? I mean, astroids don't just split apart every day you know. Our whole mission will fail if they know we exist.

    Zoltrax: Ah, you worry too much Zeetlix. Even if they ever get the technology to see the astroids splitting apart, earthlings are much too stupid to realize why.

    Zeetlix: Even if they're only earthlings, Commander, eventually they'll figure out something's odd about astroids splitting up ONLY when they come close to their planet.

    Zoltrax: Nah, don't worry about it! Someone will just make up some bullshit rationalization for why it's happening, and everyone will believe it. I mean, hey, look what happened to Jesus of Planet Christ and his invasion. A couple millenia later, and they've turned the whole thing around!

    Zeetlix: Of course, you're right, Commander. Forgive me. Unleash the astroids!