New research from a team of Czech scientists, which discovered new asteroids traveling around our planet, suggests that the risk of earth being hit by one of those extraterrestrial rocks is increasing. The likelihood of an asteroid striking Earth increased after the team studied 144 large meteors from the Taurids, a meteor stream – the very stream which appears in our skies twice a year. Most of these asteroids are small and pose no real threat. But some are alarming in size.
The team of Czech scientists discovered a new branch of the Taurid stream phenomenon containing at least two asteroids measuring a whopping 200-300 meters (220-330 yards) in diameter. This branch likely includes even larger undiscovered asteroids, according to a statement from the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
The Taurid meteoroid stream produces at least four meteor showers over Earth. Two of those streams are active from the end of September until the beginning of December, and two from the end of May to the middle of July. Earth encounters the newly discovered branch every few years for about three weeks. Scientists say that during this time, the chance of an impact with a sizeable asteroid (measuring up to tens of meters) is significantly greater. The new digital autonomous observatories of the European Fireball Network spotted the fireballs over Czech Republic (at 13 stations), Austria (1 station) and Slovakia (1 station).
The meteors analyzed by the Czech astronomy team were from a 2015 study when the stream’s activity was enhanced. Details of the study are published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, and the researchers say further research is vital to gain a better understanding “of this real source of potentially hazardous objects.” The scientists also warn that the meteors could cause significant regional or even continental damage should they actually impact our earth. The astronomers are urging a concentrated search for more Taurid asteroids, to see if any potentially threatening ones exist.
Although no threatening objects have yet been discovered, the Czech team doesn’t want to take any chances. The prospect of continental damage and regional catastrophe coming from space is alarming and more observations will be needed before drawing any more conclusions based on the Czech team’s research, as there could be many other factors which impact this data.
For example, the debris stream from Comet Encke is influenced in part by the gravity of Jupiter, a massive gas giant planet that is known to influence the orbits of comets and asteroids in that region of the solar system. As such, there are instances in which Jupiter’s gravity can redirect the debris so that more particles hit the Earth. During one of these “enhanced” Taurid meteor showers in 2015 caused by Encke’s redirection, the astronomers from the Czech Academy of Sciences analyzed the 144 Taurid fireballs (meteors that produce a large flash when they hit the atmosphere.)
NASA is currently working to anticipate the possible collision of a massive cosmic particle with Earth and assess any potential impact risks. It operates a collision monitoring system called Sentry that routinely scans for asteroids and determines the likelihood of impact over the next 100 years. It also freely catalogs these space rocks at the JPL Small-Body Database Browser.
A few years ago, NASA created a Planetary Defense Coordination Office to bring together the observations of all US networks looking for near-Earth asteroids. They also want to help come up with plans in the unlikely chance that the Earth is under threat from an asteroid strike.
The increase in a possibility of a strike is alarming, but keep in mind, it’s only a possible threat.
SMOD. The Sweet Meteor of Death. I thought that was one of the options during last year’s elections.
If a meteor is cumming in and you are standing in the shadow: RUN!
More fear porn
Doom and Gloom, Jesus Christ and Mary. Make sure you have that 1 round saved for yourself if need be.
The Earth is already littered with Asteroid Impacts, and meteorites. Go buy a metal detector and set out on the dessert floor to claim some of that lost loot.
Ah…they’re circling the huge toilet bowl.
The prophecy of the stone that was cut without hands that destroys the last kingdom of Babylon is upon us.
Daniel 2
Forever in moderation….
Financial collapse, pandemic, nuclear war, civil disorder,nuke power plant meltdown, EMP or solar flare, random mugging, mass shooting, I’ll have some concern of variable degree. Space rock, I give up, its far too much on my plate; I need a diet anyway.
Could be worse, Hillary could have won the election. Catastrophe averted, the planet saved.
Take a moment of silence……… Ok now back to prepping!
Speaking of prepping, I need to go pull some weeds in the veggie garden, remember to sort them into three piles, edible, good for making wine, and good for compost only.
Kevin2 yes, but I am more concerned about dying of old age from a paralyzing stroke While being taken care of by a heard of fat ugly black stinky nurses keeping me alive.
Last words of Doc Holliday…
“This is funny.”
Doc Holiday is now on permanent holiday.
It is good to visit the gun slinger/gambler’s presumed grave in Glenwood springs. It cheers me up to know I lived longer than he did. Cowards often live longer.
When I visit Doc’s grave I leave a Colt 45 round so he can shoot some more unarmed pro gun constitutional people while in a drunken rage?
I honestly believe they wouldn’t tell us of an impending strike, best watch when the rats in DC start disappearing. They’ll blame it on a tech that has been on vacation & didn’t know anything about it.
Meteors are always coming to earth. That’s just life. Small ones burn up when they come into our atmosphere. Most go into the ocean and make a little wave. No big deal.
I’m waiting to get one made of gold and emeralds.
__
I am not saying that Trump listens to Efrain Rodriguez, but the border wall does so happen to be made of levee parts.
Oh crap! Another crisis to exploit! What will this one cost us!
Heavens to Mergatroid! Now we have to worry about asteroids. Bad as hemerroids.
Exit stage left even!
LOL SPACE IS A PSYOP
Havent visited here in a week. And guess what? No disaster or bad thing happened to me as a result of not reading sensationalized doom porn or not buying gold. I did get my garden in shape. and fixed some things that ive been putting off. Why worry and give free rent in your head to things you have no control over and couldn’t prevent. Im content to cross bridges when I come to them. An example I could survive off grid. However I really enjoy the convenience and relaiable power I purchase from the electric coop. Worth every penny to me. I know some folks who can everything. Why do all that work? We have two freezers Simple and quick to bag stuff and freeze it. Now if a shtf happens We very well could thaw and can the freezer contents before they spoil. The fact is 99% of things folks worry about never happen. Do positive things. Like don’t build in low flood prone land. Move away from the city,s. Grow a portion of your own food. Learn Self Reliance and aquire Know How. You cant learn very much by reading the same repackaged Doom Porn over and over. This site has become stale.
i learn sumthin’ almost every time i visit here.
Old Guy, the prepper paradigm has become stale. That is old news. Time to rekindle some energy and realize that real preppers are not fat guys and get fit and healthy because they know it is the most important prep of all ! Mindset is the real deal and being strong is not replaceable. Time to up the stakes and live the benefits. Or stay fat, dumb and lazy !