It is rocket science, calculating the odds of asteroid 2007 WD5's chances of hitting Mars.
When the odds are one-in-a-hundred of an astroid hitting something, scientists with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 'sit up straight our chairs' but when it's one-in-75, they start rooting for the asteroid, especially when it's some other planet that's getting hit and not mother Earth.
WD5 is 160 feet across, just over the half the length of a football field.
If the asteroid hits Mars, it will leave a half-mile crater at the place of impact.
A couple of hundred years from now, other scientists will say it is evidence of past volcanos on the red planet that could only burn because of the presence of
oxygen which would mean there had to be life there and, and, and....
I am rooting for the 'wildly unusual' chances of the asteroid hitting Mars, too.
We need something to keep some scientists busy.
What do you think?
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If the asteroid misses Mars, what are the chances of it being diverted to our planet? I think I will be happy if it hits Mars - it's one less than can hit us :)
Posted by: Paolo | December 21, 2007 12:13 PM | Permalink to Comment