Are ‘one-in-a-thousand-year’ catastrophic impacts by meteors actually more frequent? Earth’s close call this summer with a meteor swarm will give astronomers a chance to figure out the risk potential.
Share to linkedinSpurný et al. 2017
Our solar system is a dangerous place, and this month Earth inches closer to one of its riskier places, the “Taurid swarm” of meteors. It’s a vast cloud of debris and possibly large objects, leftover from a massive comet's disintegration, that is suspected of causing catastrophic collision events in the past. According to Western Meteor Physics Group’s data analysis, Earth is now approaching within 30,000,000 km of its center, the closest such encounter since 1975.
There is no imminent threat of bombardment by meteors for now, but astronomers want to know if it could be a problem, particularly when Earth passes directly through the meteor swarm in November 2032. twice per year. The events produce the Beta Taurids meteor shower from June 5 to July 18, and then the North and South Taurids meteor showers in late October.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'Midnight Vista' Comic Explores Life After an Alien AbductionAfterShock Comics' new series focuses on a man who returned to Earth, 19 years later.
Read more »
6 Gentle Physical and Chemical Exfoliators You Can Trust With Your SkinToday, there are also plenty of in-between options: physical exfoliators that make the most of non-sandpaper-like ingredients to *gently* buff away dead skin without, figuratively speaking, scorching the earth. Here are some of the gentle exfoliators we trust with our faces on the regular.
Read more »
Why Is Jupiter So Bright? At Its Brilliant Best This Week, The Icy Asteroid That Became A Gas GiantAt “opposition” this week as Earth swings between it and the Sun, so bright and brilliant, Jupiter’s incredible journey from icy asteroid to a dominant gas giant planet is being revealed by planetary scientists.
Read more »
As Gabon's new forests minister, UK conservationist aims to lead by exampleGabon hopes to lead by example in stamping out illegal logging of the world&039...
Read more »