What is Asteroid: Definition and 279 Discussions

An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Historically, these terms have been applied to any astronomical object orbiting the Sun that did not resolve into a disc in a telescope and was not observed to have characteristics of an active comet such as a tail. As minor planets in the outer Solar System were discovered that were found to have volatile-rich surfaces similar to comets, these came to be distinguished from the objects found in the main asteroid belt. The term "asteroid" refers to the minor planets of the inner Solar System, including those co-orbital with Jupiter. Larger asteroids are often called planetoids.

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  1. L

    Calculating Angular Momentum of Asteroid Impact on Planet

    A planet is hit by an asteroid whose mass is M, velocity v, and it's velocity vector is 22 degrees below the Eastward horizontal. The planet has a radius R. I used the equation l = r m v sin \phi but the answer was wrong. Am I not doing this correctly?
  2. Orion1

    Could an Asteroid Impact Cause Catastrophic Damage to Earth?

    Is this a realistic scenario for an asteroid impact, given the simulated physical dimentions of this mass? Video: http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/34979/What_A_Meteor_Would_Do_If_It_Hit_Earth.html?autoplay=true"
  3. L

    How Can We Effectively Destroy An Asteroid Headed for Earth?

    They say if we needed to destroy and asteroid headed for Earth the fastest easiest way is witha nuclear bomb. If we used it it would destroy it but it would create thousands of pieces falling to Earth which would be much worse. In a special it was said that it would take a bomb on the order...
  4. Orion1

    Is the Object in This Video a Small Asteroid or Comet Impacting Earth's Atmosphere?

    Is this a video of a small asteroid or comet impacting Earth's atmosphere? Exactly what kind of scientific data is being displayed in this video? Reference: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9105627519592040246
  5. DaveC426913

    Someone want to have fun with asteroid simulation?

    I'm playing matchmaker again. A guy on another board (ADP) is doing research for a story about a near-miss asteroid and he wants to get his physics right. I am strongly suggesting he do a proper simulation so he's got his numbers straight. Would anyone with the right software be willing to...
  6. L

    Angular Momentum of an asteroid

    I understand the concept of angular momenum, but I do not understand how to use it in this problem: An asteroid of mass 1.0 * 10^5 kg, traveling at a speed of 30 km/s relative to the Earth, hits the Earth at the equator. It hits the Earth tangentially and in the direction of Earth's rotation...
  7. D

    Finding the distance to an Asteroid

    When astronomers find an asteroid, how do they determine its distance from the sun? And for that matter, how do they determine its absolute velocity.
  8. P

    Placing an Asteroid in Moon Orbit: Is It Possible?

    So had an idea the other day, and...Too make a gob of statements that started out incoherently seem coherent this is what I was thinking of doing: Take an asteroid (roughly 2 million pounds in weight) from the asteroid belt and place it in moon orbit. Please don't ask me about how I would...
  9. marcus

    Probe returning with asteroid rock sample

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,3605,1652178,00.html ---quote from Guardian--- Probe returning to Earth after asteroid landing Alok Jha Monday November 28, 2005 The Guardian The Japanese space probe Hayabusa began its journey home yesterday after becoming the first...
  10. S

    Escape Velocity of a spherical asteroid

    Consider a spherical asteroid with a radius of 5 km and a mass of 8.65x10^15 kg. (a) What is the acceleration of gravity on the surface of this asteroid? ANSWER: ___ m/s2 (b) Suppose the asteroid spins about an axis through its center, like the Earth, with an angular speed . What is the...
  11. S

    Calculating Acceleration: 3 Astronauts, 120kg Asteroid & Jetpacks

    3 astronauts propelled by jetpacks are pushing a 120kg asteroid, exerting the forces shown: http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/1194/phys39at.png Find the acceleration in unit vectore notation! So Far i have: F1+F2+F3 = ma F1=(32N)i(cos30) , (32N)j(sin30) F2=(50N)i...
  12. C

    Asteroid collides with Earth, new accel. of gravity?

    This was on my test and I took a guess because I was so confused. The question is that an asteroid hits Earth and now the Earth has a mass of 1.5 times its original mass and a radius of .75 times its original radius. What is its new force of gravity? its driving me crazy because it seemed...
  13. L

    Did an Asteroid Really Hit Antarctica in 2004?

    OK, this is reported in the Website nkown as the "Unmuseum", and they specialise in the wierd. They've got stuff on Nesse, UFO's, etc., but they seem to have some integrity. So I'm reluctant to take their word for it, especially when the story is big enough that it should have made the news...
  14. M

    Exploring the Asteroid Belt: What You Can See with the Naked Eye

    If you were to pass through our system's asteroid belt, what would you be able to see with the naked eye? We've all seen the Star Wars version, but that impresses me as more than a bit of dramatic hooey intended to provide excitement. In the real world, if you were to pass through our system's...
  15. wolram

    Kleopatra main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter

    http://www.spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast08may_1.htm The asteroid, named 216 Kleopatra, is a large object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter; it measures about 217 kilometers (135 miles) long and about 94 kilometers (58 miles) wide. Kleopatra was discovered in 1880, but...
  16. marcus

    More precise numbers on 2004MN4 asteroid flyby in 2029

    http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/13may_2004mn4.htm?list45222 apparently they've crunched more numbers and can say that the asteroid will pass Earth at altitude of some 30,000 km shining like a 3rd magnitude star If I understand correctly, we are being told that it will pass Earth...
  17. P

    Cross Section for Asteroid Impact on Earth

    In this problem, you will estimate the cross section for an earth-asteroid collision. In all that follows, assume that the Earth is fixed in space and that the radius of the asteroid is much less than the radius R of the earth. The mass of the Earth is M_e, and the mass of the asteroid is m. Use...
  18. G

    Calculating Size of Asteroid to Wipe Out Life on Earth

    Just curious, you know the movie armageddon? well, i was thinking, how big would an asteroid really have to be in order to wipe out all the life on earth? and, what're the calculations you'd do to figure that out? Thanks... ~gale~
  19. E

    Destroy Asteroid: Ways & What They Are

    How many ways are there to destroy a hostile asteroid coming towards the earth? What are they?
  20. W

    Asteroid hitting the Earth and causing a devastating Tsunami

    Does anyone know the calculation (asteroid size..etc), for an Asteroid hitting the Earth and causing a devastating Tsunami of the propotions as seen in Indonesia? It seems to me that I had heard that an Asteroid the size of a VW beetle, if hitting the Earth head on, and landing at the same...
  21. E

    Capturing an Asteroid: Creating Earth's 2nd Moon

    What would be the best way to capture this asteroind and place it in a orbit about the Earth? It would be better to capture and study it then to just redirect it or destroy it. Imagine Earth with two Moons. http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/asteroid_update_041227.html
  22. G

    Calculating Mass of Asteroid Given Moon's Size, Distance, and Orbit

    Assume an asteroid's moon is 1.6 km wide, and 148 km from the center of the asteroid, which is 55 km long. The moon's orbit is circular with a period of 21 h. Whatis the mass of the asteroid? Ok This has to do with Kepler's Laws and I don't really understand Kepler's Law. I tried using...
  23. J

    Asteroid Math: Get Help with Large Math Project

    I'm doing a very large, externally evaluated math project based on a supposed asteroid impact. The only problem is that I'm having a lot of trouble finding information regarding the average asteroid size, mass, orbital radius and speed, etc. Can anyone help out and maybe give some suggestions...
  24. S

    Find mean distance from asteroid Icarus to the sun

    Ok, I keep trying to do the following problem: ----The asteroid Icarus orbits the Sun like the other planets. Its period is about 410 days. What is its mean distance from the Sun? (Hint: You can derive the mean distance with the paramters known for the Earth: Period of the Earth = 365 days...
  25. Evo

    City-Sized Asteroid to Pass Earth This Fall

    "On Sept. 29, 2004 an asteroid the size of a small city will make the closest known pass of such a very large space rock anytime this century." "Toutatis looks something like a dumbbell hurtling awkwardly through space. It has a crazy rotation that makes normal days impossible. Scientists...
  26. Orion1

    Asteroid 2004 FH: Close Flyby and Potential Impact Creates Concern

    PASADENA, Calif. -- A 100-foot-diameter asteroid passed close but harmlessly by Earth on Thursday, astronomers said. The hurtling rock passed about 26,500 miles above the southern Atlantic Ocean at 3:08 p.m. MST. Astronomers were continuing to observe the asteroid, 2004 FH, which was...
  27. Ivan Seeking

    Long-lost near-Earth asteroid spotted: New Scientist

    http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994285
  28. Ivan Seeking

    Asteroid danger in 2014 downplayed: BBC

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3200019.stm
  29. Ivan Seeking

    Asteroid hazard revised: Nature.com

    "Large meteorites are more likely to break up in the atmosphere before they hit the Earth than was previously thought, scientists in Britain and Russia have calculated." http://www.nature.com/nsu/030714/030714-11.html
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