# Asteroid may hit Mars next month! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 21, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865 "2007-12-21T20:39:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/1 "2007-12-21T20:39:52Z")
> **[Latest news & breaking headlines](https://www.thetimes.com/)** > > The latest breaking UK, US, world, business and sport news from The Times and The Sunday Times. Go beyond today's headlines with in-depth analysis and comment. > [@Times Online](#): > > Mars is in danger of being struck by an asteroid at the end of next month, astronomers have calculated. > > The newly discovered space rock known as 2007 WD5 has a one in 75 chance of colliding with the planet on January 30. While the probability of an impact is only slim, the odds have been cut from one in 350 when the object was first identified, and they are much shorter than is usual for new asteroids. > > If 2007 WD5, which is about 100 metres in diameter, does strike Mars on January 30, it would cause an explosion equivalent to several megatonnes of TNT. > > “These odds are extremely unusual,” said Steve Chesley, an astronomer with the Near Earth Object Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. ---
**Author:** ![mikemo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/41988e/32.png) [@mikemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikemo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/2 "2007-12-21T21:15:55Z")
I’ll start making the popcorn! ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/3 "2007-12-21T22:01:48Z")
Better them than us, I say. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/4 "2007-12-21T22:25:36Z")
[QUOTE=robardin] Better them than us, I say. [/QUOTE] Typical American. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/5 "2007-12-21T22:28:10Z")
Too small to cause Martian climatic change. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/6 "2007-12-21T22:57:14Z")
But has the possibility of making a 1 mile wide crater…similar to Meteor Crater, in Arizona…cool! ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2007, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/7 "2007-12-21T23:36:05Z")
[Mars will defend itself](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration_of_Mars#Mars_Curse). ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/8 "2007-12-22T02:41:51Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] [Mars will defend itself](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration_of_Mars#Mars_Curse). [/QUOTE] “FOX News has had analysts working night and day on [this sketch](http://silverlightrocks.com/community/blogs/silverlight_games_101/WindowsLiveWriter/LoadingXAMLDynamically_9031/asteroid_dynamic.jpg) of the impending martian disaster…” ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/9 "2007-12-22T02:46:09Z")
One of the rare instances where an acclamation of favor for a chocolate confection could share the same headline with a Martian laser space defense system. (ahem) **"MARS BARS ROCKS!"** ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/10 "2007-12-22T02:50:41Z")
Seriously, I wonder if it will be within range of any of the gadgets (Opportunity, Spirit, Orbiter) we have on or above Mars? Are any of them still working well enough to detect or photograph the event? That would be waaay coooool! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/11 "2007-12-22T02:58:06Z")
I bet Spirit will still work! ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/12 "2007-12-22T03:08:54Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Seriously, I wonder if it will be within range of any of the gadgets (Opportunity, Spirit, Orbiter) we have on or above Mars? Are any of them still working well enough to detect or photograph the event? [/QUOTE] That’s covered in the OP link. > [@](#): > > The likely impact would be on the threshold of visibility from the largest of Earth’s observatories, but its effects would readily be seen by probes orbiting the Red Planet such as the European Space Agency’s Mars Express. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/13 "2007-12-22T03:22:06Z")
\*Have you heard? It’s in the stars Next July we collide with Mars. Well, did you evah?\* ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/14 "2007-12-22T03:34:38Z")
Good timing award-Mars just passed opposition and should still be a nice bright sight when/if the asteroid hits. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/15 "2007-12-22T03:37:23Z")
Quick! Someone call Bruce Willis!! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/16 "2007-12-22T04:10:37Z")
> [@](#): > > The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is mapping the planet, would have a front-row seat. And NASA’s two JPL-built rovers, Opportunity and Spirit, might be able to take pictures from the ground. From [L.A. Times.](http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-sci-mars21dec21,1,3949708.story?coll=la-news-a_section) More: > [@](#): > > The asteroid is now behind the moon, he said, so it will be almost two weeks before observers can plot its course more accurately. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/17 "2007-12-22T04:29:54Z")
Behind the moon? _Our_ moon? If that’s what he meant, all they need to do is wait about an hour for the moon to get out of the way. Meanwhile, I can’t imagine that Phobos or Deimos are the problem… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/18 "2007-12-22T04:31:33Z")
Relax, it’s all being taken care of. **Podkayne** is orbiting our planet in a battle cruiser even as we speak. If the Big Rock looks like it’s gonna’ hit, she’ll blast it into little pieces with the ship’s massive radium cannons. Happy Holidays to ye denizens of the Blue Marble. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/19 "2007-12-22T04:55:50Z")
[QUOTE=drewbert] Behind the moon? _Our_ moon? If that’s what he meant, all they need to do is wait about an hour for the moon to get out of the way. Meanwhile, I can’t imagine that Phobos or Deimos are the problem… 😕 [/QUOTE] The moon moves against the background sky about 13.2 degrees per day, so an hour isn’t very much movement. However, 2 weeks does seem like an awfully long time. Maybe the orbit of the asteroid is coincident with the moon’s apparent path in our sky? That seems unlikely, _unless its part of an eevil plan!_ ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2007, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865/20 "2007-12-22T05:12:04Z")
[QUOTE=squeegee] The moon moves against the background sky about 13.2 degrees per day, so an hour isn’t very much movement. However, 2 weeks does seem like an awfully long time. Maybe the orbit of the asteroid is coincident with the moon’s apparent path in our sky? That seems unlikely, _unless its part of an eevil plan!_ [/QUOTE] You mean like its going to hit Mars and then send it hurtling towards the Earth in a cosmic game of billiards? _Sweet!_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/asteroid-may-hit-mars-next-month/430865.md?page=2)