So, what happened recently in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk? All three of the above happened. First it was meteoroid, then it became a meteor and the fireball became as bright as the sun lighting up the sky, and finally exploded and rained smaller chunks down on Earth. It was a good thing that it broke apart because it originally weighed in at over 10,000 pounds.
Want to see some pictures?
It's trail as it entered the atmosphere:
A hole made in the ice by one of the small pieces after it exploded and broke apart:
Some of the damage its shock wave caused:
Russia was hit a long time ago by one that flattened thousands of acres of trees in Siberia.
By the way, a Russian school teacher remembering the days of the cold war, when seeing the bright flash, had all her students duck and cover. None of them got a scratch where as a lot of people did get hurt by shattered glass. From what I have heard, it was traveling with a much, much larger companion. We all should be thankful it missed us. . . this time. As Arnold said, it will be back!! They are nothing to scoff at, remember they caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. No, they were not all killed when it hit. It was the aftermath that slowly did away with them. Now, don't strain your necks by watching the sky for them, but just have a happy and great day today, you hear?
As long as they stay in Russia I don't worry about them. Maybe next time it will hit where Putin and Snowden are having tea together. Nah, I shouldn't say that. Just kidding.
ReplyDeletehahaa.. no you're not... seems Snowden has gotten his permit.
Deletegreat pictures... never... ever thought of the Russians doing the duck and cover routine. now that's something.
ReplyDeletejust grew up thinking they were Satan personified ... kinda like the radical Islamists view us.
The cold war was such a scary time. I remember the bomb shelters being built ~ communism and Russia were huge threats ~ I think that's why my generation didn't expect to reach the age of 30.
This post brings back lots of memories, Dizzy, the race to the moon, the Bay of Pigs and so forth. what a volatile era. well, it's still a volatile time.
Hopefully we have missiles that will nullify a meteor hurtling toward us. there have been a few but they seem to hit in the desert ~ like that huge one in Arizona.
I was traveling about in that area ~ saw the signs ~ decided I'd go see it but when I saw they were charging to see it... just ticks me off ... what kind of upkeep does it take to maintain a meteor crater. so didn't see it... lots of pictures online.
I guess heat and levelness attract meteors? interesting innit
Gypsy, we "older" ones have sure lived through a lot of scarry times, and I am sure there will more to come, hopefully after we are gone.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn, I guess they were as afraid of us as we were of them, or more. Yes, it was a scary time, but we were too young to care that much. At that time, we thought we would live for ever. I didn't know they charged to see the crater.
I spent a half a day at the Arizona crater. Amazing how much damage a little Greyhound bus size piece of rock can do. Before the crater filled in, it was way much deeper than it is today. There's burned rocks all over the desert for miles an' miles from the crater. I was impressed.
ReplyDeleteB.B.' This one was traveling with a big brother!! Hope when it comes around again, it misses us.
DeleteImagine if the timing was just a bit different and it came in on Dec 21, 2012. People would have thought it was the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteIf this is what the little brother did, I'm glad the big one missed us.
There are a lot of telescopes searching for neo's (near earth objects) but they can't find them all and once in while some slipe though our watchfull eye. Don't think we can stop them but an advanced warning would help save lives and property.
DeleteWhat a fireball! I've been to the "hole" in Arizona but never gave it much thought that that could happen in my own backyard. WOW!
ReplyDeleteThe Odd Essay, since it seems that your "back yard" has been most of Texas lately, one could come down there and you would never notice.
DeleteI so admire a man with as much intellect as you. I'm learning!
ReplyDeleteLotta joy, I just love science and space. I have three usable telescopes, the biggest has a 16" diameter refleting mirrow. Science and math, I love. Grammer and spelling are my weaknesses.
DeleteEven after you explained the difference it took me 3-4 readings to get it my head. Finally I got it when I changed this definition: A meteor is "any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that enters Earth's atmosphere". To this: a meteor is "a meteoroid that enters Earth's atmosphere". Then a meteorite is a meteor that does not burn up in the atmosphere and hits the ground.
ReplyDeleteAll three are the same rock. The difference is where it is located and if it strikes the Earth.
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