Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nearby, Recent Interplanetary Collision Inferred

Posted by kdawson on from the when-worlds-collide dept.

The Bad Astronomer writes about a new discovery by the Spitzer Space Telescope, which detected signs of an interplanetary smashup only 100 light-years from here, and only a few thousand years ago. There's a NASA-produced animation of the collision between a Mercury-sized planet and a moon-sized impactor. The collision's aftermath was detected by the presence of what are essentially glass shards in orbit around the star. Here's NASA's writeup.

6 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. Neat video, but not very accurate by olsmeister · · Score: 5, Interesting

    the guy posting the blog states: "the shock wave ring travels around the planet as shown, but when the ring converges on the point opposite the collision point, there would be a huge explosion and a vast plume of material launched into space. No one ever puts that in their animations"

    I thought the same thing when I watched the video - there would be a godawful explosion at the antipode

    1. Re:Neat video, but not very accurate by JohnnyDanger · · Score: 5, Informative

      The impact on Mercury which created the Caloris basin caused some wacky geology at the antipodal point to the collision. This is called "chaotic" or "weird" terrain. Link.

  2. And nothing of value got lost? by gmuslera · · Score: 5, Funny

    The civilization that was living in that planet is traveling to a little blue planet that was nearby at a modest 100 light years. Invasion is scheduled for next Tuesday.

    1. Re:And nothing of value got lost? by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Funny

      The civilization that was living in that planet is traveling to a little blue planet that was nearby at a modest 100 light years. Invasion is scheduled for next Tuesday.

      Thankfully the invasion was called off when the aliens learned of mankind's secret weapons: lawyers, building permits and environmental impact statements. Said Fleetlord Atvar, "We came here looking to save our race, not to spend the next two hundred years filling out paperwork. We'll find a new home somewhere else, thank you very much."

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    2. Re:And nothing of value got lost? by gijoel · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not the civilization per se. Just the infant son of the leading scientist who tried to warn them of the impact.

      My calculation predict that he'll land somewhere in Kansas.

  3. Re:A question for interstellar arms dealers... by Evil_Ether · · Score: 5, Funny

    More efficient ways yes, but more satisfying?

    --
    If taxation is legalized theft, then Capitalism is a prolonged rape followed by a slow death.