Thank you David.

What would be the most likely origin of a rogue asteroid?

I'm only asking because if you or one of your astronomer buddies goes to see
this movie, I need you to walk out after saying, "Damn, that was bang on
info!"

Though I don't get much into the meteor/asteroid itself, if I could build an
element into the script that is "plausible theory" about a rogue asteroid,
then it is believeable.

I already have all the specs as to the damage report after collision of a
10km diameter projectile with Earth.

--
From the Desk of Lise Eleanor
http://www3.sympatico.ca/l_e/
"David Knisely" wrote in message
...
Lise Eleanor wrote:

I'm a screenwriter and I have a question:

If a big enough asteroid hit Jupiter and a piece of Jupiter broke off,
could
it become a rogue asteroid and head for Earth? (I've heard that
Jupiter's
many moons were once actually part of Jupiter that broke off.)

If not, what type of situation can be proposed that would produce a
threatening rogue asteroid?

No, Jupiter is huge and largely gaseous, so even if the largest asteroid
hit
it, Jupiter would more than likely swallow the darn thing whole (might
raise a
nice plume of gas, but no "rogue" asteroid"). There are lots of asteroids
in
orbits that come near to or cross the orbit of the Earth, and minor
perturbations by the planets over long periods of time or a collision with
another asteroid might push it into an Earth-impact trajectory. Clear
skies
to you.

--
David W. Knisely
Prairie Astronomy Club: http://www.prairieastronomyclub.org
Hyde Memorial Observatory: http://www.hydeobservatory.info/

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