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June 30th is Asteroid Day!



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 14th 17, 12:57 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Quadibloc
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Posts: 7,018
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

Just heard on the news that the UN is proclaiming an annual Asteroid Day to
heighten awareness of the possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth.

John Savard
  #2  
Old February 16th 17, 06:31 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Davoud[_1_]
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Posts: 1,989
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

Quadibloc:
Just heard on the news that the UN is proclaiming an annual Asteroid Day to
heighten awareness of the possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth.


Are we "meant to lie down or put a paper bag over our head or
something?"

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm
  #3  
Old February 16th 17, 08:59 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris.B[_3_]
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Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thursday, 16 February 2017 06:31:42 UTC+1, Davoud wrote:
Quadibloc:
Just heard on the news that the UN is proclaiming an annual Asteroid Day to
heighten awareness of the possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth.


Are we "meant to lie down or put a paper bag over our head or
something?"


It is optional unless you are a child.
Then you should never put any bag over your head[s.]
I suppose a tinfoil tricorn is now considered old hat?
The tinfoil hat went so well with denim flares and polo necks.
It all seems so/like yesterday now.
  #4  
Old February 16th 17, 03:09 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris L Peterson
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Posts: 10,007
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thu, 16 Feb 2017 00:31:40 -0500, Davoud wrote:

Quadibloc:
Just heard on the news that the UN is proclaiming an annual Asteroid Day to
heighten awareness of the possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth.


Are we "meant to lie down or put a paper bag over our head or
something?"


I learned in school that getting under your desk and putting your
hands behind your neck could be effective.

(Seriously though, it is not entirely outside our power to take action
to prevent such a strike, so there may well be value in expanding
awareness of the possibility.)
  #5  
Old February 16th 17, 06:39 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Quadibloc
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Posts: 7,018
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 7:09:34 AM UTC-7, Chris L Peterson wrote:

(Seriously though, it is not entirely outside our power to take action
to prevent such a strike, so there may well be value in expanding
awareness of the possibility.)


I admit that, but because the prospect of an asteroid impact is so remote, and the
general public has other priorities... it seems to me that an "Asteroid Day" to
raise general awareness is not a direction likely to yield much in the way of
useful results.

John Savard
  #6  
Old February 16th 17, 08:03 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris L Peterson
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Posts: 10,007
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thu, 16 Feb 2017 09:39:17 -0800 (PST), Quadibloc
wrote:

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 7:09:34 AM UTC-7, Chris L Peterson wrote:

(Seriously though, it is not entirely outside our power to take action
to prevent such a strike, so there may well be value in expanding
awareness of the possibility.)


I admit that, but because the prospect of an asteroid impact is so remote, and the
general public has other priorities... it seems to me that an "Asteroid Day" to
raise general awareness is not a direction likely to yield much in the way of
useful results.


True. All the same there are more than 100 UN international days, and
hundreds more established by different countries. Most are just
symbolic commemorations of something or another. Symbols are not
without power, even if that power is very small.
  #7  
Old February 17th 17, 11:32 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
RichA[_6_]
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Posts: 1,076
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thursday, 16 February 2017 14:03:07 UTC-5, Chris L Peterson wrote:
On Thu, 16 Feb 2017 09:39:17 -0800 (PST), Quadibloc
wrote:

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 7:09:34 AM UTC-7, Chris L Peterson wrote:

(Seriously though, it is not entirely outside our power to take action
to prevent such a strike, so there may well be value in expanding
awareness of the possibility.)


I admit that, but because the prospect of an asteroid impact is so remote, and the
general public has other priorities... it seems to me that an "Asteroid Day" to
raise general awareness is not a direction likely to yield much in the way of
useful results.


True. All the same there are more than 100 UN international days, and
hundreds more established by different countries. Most are just
symbolic commemorations of something or another. Symbols are not
without power, even if that power is very small.


Most are pointless or driven by narrow interests. Maybe the UN, in honour of itself as the World's political parasite should have "World Government Day?"
  #8  
Old February 16th 17, 08:19 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Davoud[_1_]
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Posts: 1,989
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

Quadibloc:
Just heard on the news that the UN is proclaiming an annual Asteroid Day
to
heighten awareness of the possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth.


Davoud:
Are we "meant to lie down or put a paper bag over our head or
something?"


Chris L Peterson:
I learned in school that getting under your desk and putting your
hands behind your neck could be effective.


Yes, that's true. Fact is, there was a genuine target 19 linear miles
NNW (upwind) of my elementary school‹the Irvin Works, which was the
largest rolling mill (sheet steel) in the world in the 1950s, and which
is still a good-sized mill today
https://www.ussteel.com/uss/portal/h...s/company-faci
lites-irvinplant-west%20mifflinpa/. An air burst would have destroyed
a high percentage of the U.S. capacity to make sheet steel, disrupted
Monongahela River traffic, and destroyed important rail lines on both
sides of the river. I had done my homework and I told the principal
that we were pretty safe from the blast, but that radiation could be a
hazard in an upwind blast. I suggested that the school line the floor
with lead and that the students all go to the basement cafeteria. That
suggestion was not acted upon. The real problem was in telling the kids
that the Irvin Works was a target, as numerous kids' dads worked there
and they were frightened to tears. Others, including me, took comfort
in the fact that their dads were a couple of hundred feet underground
in a coal mine for 8 to 10 hours each day. Some hope.

(Seriously though, it is not entirely outside our power to take action
to prevent such a strike, so there may well be value in expanding
awareness of the possibility.)


You're right. But the only invisible things most people believe in are
UFOs, ghosts, and gods. An event that hasn't happened in human history
is unlikely to get people fired up to spend a $trillion or so for a
detection and defense system. Tunguska doesn't count; "nobody" knows
about it.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm
  #9  
Old February 16th 17, 08:23 PM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Razzmatazz
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Posts: 265
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thursday, February 16, 2017 at 1:19:42 PM UTC-6, Davoud wrote:
Quadibloc:
Just heard on the news that the UN is proclaiming an annual Asteroid Day
to
heighten awareness of the possibility of an asteroid striking the Earth.


Davoud:
Are we "meant to lie down or put a paper bag over our head or
something?"


Chris L Peterson:
I learned in school that getting under your desk and putting your
hands behind your neck could be effective.


Yes, that's true. Fact is, there was a genuine target 19 linear miles
NNW (upwind) of my elementary school逆he Irvin Works, which was the
largest rolling mill (sheet steel) in the world in the 1950s, and which
is still a good-sized mill today
https://www.ussteel.com/uss/portal/h...s/company-faci
lites-irvinplant-west%20mifflinpa/. An air burst would have destroyed
a high percentage of the U.S. capacity to make sheet steel, disrupted
Monongahela River traffic, and destroyed important rail lines on both
sides of the river. I had done my homework and I told the principal
that we were pretty safe from the blast, but that radiation could be a
hazard in an upwind blast. I suggested that the school line the floor
with lead and that the students all go to the basement cafeteria. That
suggestion was not acted upon. The real problem was in telling the kids
that the Irvin Works was a target, as numerous kids' dads worked there
and they were frightened to tears. Others, including me, took comfort
in the fact that their dads were a couple of hundred feet underground
in a coal mine for 8 to 10 hours each day. Some hope.

(Seriously though, it is not entirely outside our power to take action
to prevent such a strike, so there may well be value in expanding
awareness of the possibility.)


You're right. But the only invisible things most people believe in are
UFOs, ghosts, and gods. An event that hasn't happened in human history
is unlikely to get people fired up to spend a $trillion or so for a
detection and defense system. Tunguska doesn't count; "nobody" knows
about it.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm


You forgot Zombies. Oh wait, they're not invisible. never mind.
  #10  
Old February 17th 17, 01:07 AM posted to sci.astro.amateur
Chris L Peterson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10,007
Default June 30th is Asteroid Day!

On Thu, 16 Feb 2017 14:19:38 -0500, Davoud wrote:

An event that hasn't happened in human history
is unlikely to get people fired up to spend a $trillion or so for a
detection and defense system. Tunguska doesn't count; "nobody" knows
about it.


True enough. But let it happen just once and see how much money we'll
throw at it. We're very good at dealing (or attempting to deal) with
foreseeable problems once the actually bite us.

I believe that Clarke's novel _Rendezvous with Rama_ started with a
good chunk of Italy being destroyed by a small asteroid, resulting in
the development of an asteroid detection system that ended up
detecting an incoming spacecraft instead (that spacecraft having been
fashioned from an asteroid, however).
 




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