Jupiter collision a warning call to Earth

[UM-Bot]

Image credit: NASA/JHU/APL

A large object has smacked in to Jupiter this weekend, the collision is the most significant observed since Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994 and serves as a reminder of how vulnerable the Earth is to impacts from outer space.

"When an object smacked into Jupiter over the weekend, giving astronomers their best cosmic-collision show since the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994, the giant gas ball of a planet took the poke like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. "

View: Full Article | Source: Christian Science Monitor

[Enigmatic Ghost]

I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that the with all the million spent in space Exploration and astronomy, that they couldn’t even see a Damn Planetoid Hurtling towards Jupiter, Galileo must be rolling over in his Grave, they should yank out the Plug upon the SETI and other worthless research and put it where it could be of better use. And of course it wouldn’t have done any good to know or let others know if a Earth size Planetoid was hurtling towards the Planet Earth, if it hit Earth it would have been over in a mega Flash. I can hear Galileo Screaming now.

Edited July 24, 2009 by Enigmatic Ghost

[Toadie is thinking]

I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that the with all the million spent in space Exploration and astronomy, that they couldn’t even see a Damn Planetoid Hurtling towards Jupiter, Galileo must be rolling over in his Grave, they should yank out the Plug upon the SETI and other worthless research and put it where it could be of better use. And of course it wouldn’t have done any good to know or let others know if a Earth size Planetoid was hurtling towards the Planet Earth, if it hit Earth it would have been over in a mega Flash. I can hear Galileo Screaming now.

I agree.. even more so that it was an amateur astronomer that caught it and none of the so called professionals.

[Boff]

Nobody is looking for comets/asteroids that are going to hit Jupiter, thats why it wasn't found. Had it been coming near earth I highly doubt it wouldnt have been spotted.

[lilmcnessy]

This means Jupiter is doing its job, I watched a documentary last week about Jupiter like planets outside of the solar systems and they say you need a Jupiter like planets with a strong gravity pool to stop objects hitting into earth, or another planet we may inhabit

[danielost]

I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that the with all the million spent in space Exploration and astronomy, that they couldn’t even see a Damn Planetoid Hurtling towards Jupiter, Galileo must be rolling over in his Grave, they should yank out the Plug upon the SETI and other worthless research and put it where it could be of better use. And of course it wouldn’t have done any good to know or let others know if a Earth size Planetoid was hurtling towards the Planet Earth, if it hit Earth it would have been over in a mega Flash. I can hear Galileo Screaming now.

sorry tell me how big is space and how big is a rock of any size.

[Jaygatz]

This means Jupiter is doing its job, I watched a documentary last week about Jupiter like planets outside of the solar systems and they say you need a Jupiter like planets with a strong gravity pool to stop objects hitting into earth, or another planet we may inhabit

Yeah Exactly what the other planets do is protect us from impact, However theres always one that gets by. Was what about 4 or 5 years ago they didnt even see the peice of rock that came inbetween the earth and the moon. They don't monitor the entire sky all the time. Things are gonna get through undetected !!

Edited July 25, 2009 by Jaygatz

[fandango]

With all of the satellites in orbit nowadays, you would think that some sort of half decent detection system could be piggybacked onto them. Perhaps cost is the reason they haven't.

[MirrorImage]

I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that the with all the million spent in space Exploration and astronomy, that they couldn’t even see a Damn Planetoid Hurtling towards Jupiter, Galileo must be rolling over in his Grave, they should yank out the Plug upon the SETI and other worthless research and put it where it could be of better use. And of course it wouldn’t have done any good to know or let others know if a Earth size Planetoid was hurtling towards the Planet Earth, if it hit Earth it would have been over in a mega Flash. I can hear Galileo Screaming now.

You crack me up, but youre right. Thanks for making me grin.

[Enigmatic Ghost]

You crack me up, but youre right. Thanks for making me grin.

I do ?

[Startraveler]

. . . they should yank out the Plug upon the SETI and other worthless research . . .

The government did that a long time ago. SETI is entirely privately funded now. But anyway, space is enormous and planetoids are, comparatively, not. You can't spot everything.

[ninjadude]

Not only that but SETI is not looking for local solar system planetoids but EM patterns from out in the galaxy. quite a difference in scope. Some non-gov groups try to catalog solar system objects. But it is near impossible to catalog all the small, sometimes non-light reflecting objects in our solar system. And then plot their orbits?!! You're not serious.

[The Council of Nine]

Jupiter is supposed to take these types hits....without it the rest of the planets would have been smashed a gazillion times over by now.

[Hugh]

The Main Asteroid Belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, so Jupiter's orbit is close to a lot of big asteroids to begin with.

Also, Jupiter is over 317 times heavier than the Earth, and its volume could hold over 1,321 Earths.

Its gravity is therefore stronger than Earth's, so it's going to get hit a lot more often than Earth.

Edited August 6, 2009 by Hugh