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Collision of Two Asteroids Spotted For the First Time

Posted by timothy on from the delicious-space-dust dept.

sciencehabit writes "Astronomers report that a small asteroid located in the inner asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter took a major hit early last year. Previously rendered only in artists' conceptions, the first asteroid collision known in modern times revealed itself in a tail of debris streaming from what astronomers at first assumed was a comet. Instead of a steady stream of dust, however, they found boulders near the object with dust moving away from them."

7 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. Remember by SilverHatHacker · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you get too close to the debris, you can press Down to teleport.

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    Funny may not give karma, but +5 Informative never made anyone snort coffee out their nose.
  2. Re:didn't spot collision by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll bet she was on her cellphone and didn't even notice the damage.

  3. Re:didn't spot collision by MichaelSmith · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'll bet she was on her cellphone and didn't even notice the damage.

    No, my sister was definitely in the UK at the time.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  4. Impossible by MobileTatsu-NJG · · Score: 3, Funny

    The possibility of successfully spotting an asteroid collision is approximately 3,720 to 1!

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    "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)

  5. Re:PDAsteroids by MichaelSmith · · Score: 3, Funny

    And reproducing. Look at all the little asteroids out of that one.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  6. Re:didn't spot collision by Blain · · Score: 2, Funny

    "And I'm like, 'OMG! Becky's not even hot!'"

  7. Einstein was right! by Alain+Williams · · Score: 4, Funny
    Einstien said of God: ''I, at any rate, am convinced that He does not throw dice.''

    It seems that we now know that God plays billiards instead :-)