Re: Deep Impact

From: Anton Sherwood (dasher@netcom.com)
Date: Thu Mar 12 1998 - 20:14:12 MST


> Michael Mealling wrote:
> > We really need to know its velocity in a bad way. A slow asteroid hitting
> > wouldn't be to bad. A fast one would be very bad...

Michael Lorrey wrote:
> Even if its relavit velocity is less than a few hundred miles per hour, if it were
> on an intercept course, the earth's gravity as it approached would accelerate it
> to the point that it would be traveling at around 25,000 mph when it hit.

The question, rather, is how much its velocity (or rather its orbital
kinetic energy) can *add* to that.

-- 
"How'd ya like to climb this high without no mountain?" --Porky Pine
Anton Sherwood   *\\*   +1 415 267 0685
!! visiting New Mexico, end of March !!


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