Comets and Asteroids and Meteors, Oh My!

[Smudger]

I want to see the comet smash into Mars, would be unbelievable

I kind of do too. While at the same time, that would be completely devastating to all of our efforts of research on the planet. Many of the probes would be completely destroyed or badly damaged. Would be quite the expensive catastrophe, while also being extremely fascinating. A real double edged sword here.

 

[Nutriaitch]

we gotta find a way to video this shit

 

[Mac]

we gotta find a way to video this [Mark May]

This...too bad its not catastrophic to the point where it could break the planet apart. That would be awesome

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

This...too bad its not catastrophic to the point where it could break the planet apart. That would be awesome

That would probably cause our annihilation too.

But damn it would be cool until our fiery deaths.

 

[Mac]

That would probably cause our annihilation too.

But damn it would be cool until our fiery deaths.

How come? It's pretty far away I didn't say anything about us dying, just the robots and the red rocks

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

How come? It's pretty far away I didn't say anything about us dying, just the robots and the red rocks

It would send shards of Mars hurtling at us. Even if it's far away, there's nothing to slow it down in space.

 

[ochre]

we gotta find a way to video this shit

Should have had the Russians attach a dashcam to curiosity!

 

[Muck]

It would send shards of Mars hurtling at us. Even if it's far away, there's nothing to slow it down in space.

I must say I'm more than a little saddened that schools apparently no longer teach Newton's law of universal gravitation.

 

[Buckeye Maniac]

I must say I'm more than a little saddened that schools apparently no longer teach Newton's law of universal gravitation.

Ok, I don't do physics, and I googled that, as I don't remember it at all, because again, I don't do physics, but would Mars, if obliterated, not shoot out in all directions at least initially? Would some parts not possibly escape? I mean, in the early solar system wasn't Earth pounded by pieces of failed planets?

I really don't know.

EDIT: and at least I referenced Newton's First Law in my post lol

 

[Mac]

Wouldn't it take a really long time for these shards to reach Earth? And by that time we could send rockets to blow them up of course lol

 

[AKAK]

How ironic would it be for Curiosity to find microbial life on Mars in the next 18 months, only to have it wiped out by an impact like this? We finally discover extraplanetary life and blink! it's gone.

I'm really excited for PanSTARRS and ISON this year. 2013 - The Year of the Comet.

Comet ISON Dead. The Sun Murdered It

http://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2013/12/12/comet_ison_dead_the_sun_murdered_it_108407.html

 

[scooter1369]

ISON isn't dead. It went back in time to retrieve two humpback whales to save the planet.

 

[Steve19]

So, we're not stripping down in our back yards at sunset to welcome the returning comet? Not even putting on classy uniforms? Nothing?

This guy is not impressed!

 

[Deety]

Shoot. I was kinda thinking it would be a great opportunity for scUM/ND to play an away/away... really really really away.

Might still work, and more collisions to boot. Man the space cannons!

 

[knapplc]

I am more than a little disappointed in "The Year of the Comet." Couldn't even see ISON, and with heavy-duty binoculars PanSTARRS was just a smudge - about as visually interesting as an airplane contrail near the horizon at sunset. Bah.