This is a wonderful tool:
ssd.jpl.nasa.gov...
VERY important! Use the side & bottom scroll bars to change orbital perspective.
For further discussion, you may be able to track me down thru these keywords - Out of Chaos the SummerRain Nation of Ring Tone DragonSong. That should
pretty much do it and should foil any bots looking for emails, and phone #'s, etc.
I feel that "mankind", in it's self-absorbed arrogance, has ignored the real world and universe we live in. A scenario I've been pondering has the
world putting aside the petty squabbles and maneuverings, etc to begin work in earnest on developing some sort of "shield", proactive defense, as
well as a protocol for dealing with it up to and including the worst it could do. I have been researching a lot of related subjects of late, this
among them, in order to develop a musical presentation based on these subjects. Principally as a means of education and the nurturing of informed and
careful study. The general population is looking and is ready for some answers. And one of the biggest questions is why aren't we doing something
pro-active about possible comet or other NEO threats? We certainly have the tracking capability but the real key in my thinking is that we need to put
"outposts" in place well beyond Jupiter's orbit. The nuking, shattering, destructive approach is a last ditch option and perhaps not even then.
However, the problem can be solved by diverting the object into a new path of travel, ideally on a vector computed to eliminate or reduce any future
threat. I have recently found some interesting theories re: using the gravity of one big (or many smaller craft) and by flying close to the comet,
asteroid, etc. the gravitic attraction can be used to pull the comet onto a new trajectory. Using rockets or other form of propulsion attached to it
might be another way. The real key is being out there far enough to have plenty of time to complete the mission. This, of course would probably still
require many such "outposts" positioned in a spherical pattern around the inner planets to try to insure maximum coverage.
The "trickle down" (and up!) from such a global endeavor is obviously enormous. And whether the Aliens are here to help us, or Jesus is going to
"take us into His bosom" to keep us from harm, or the "New World Order" really exists and resistance is futile and we have already been
assimilated, or the world is just simply going to end on December 21st, 2012, a
true fact is that comets do show up periodically, there are
thousands of them, and even a close encounter could be catastrophic. And right now there's not a whole lot that the "civilization" of mankind would
be able to do about it. The clock is REALLY ticking on this one. It would take many years and decades to begin to have a workable system in place,
even WITH the help of Aliens. So right now we are just sitting ducks and some of these things don't give very much advance notice that they are
coming...
Now, I know that what I've proposed is unrealistic in our present world. It's not impossible. Just highly unlikely that the power and wealth, the
leaders, rulers and authorities, and, yes, all of us other "folk", too, would be able to put aside politics, struggles for power, position, wealth,
personal beliefs, Religion, Philosophy, snobbishness, bigotry, and in a perfect world, pigheadedness, and focus on pro-actively working to TRULY
"Save the World". Afterall, none of those things matter if the "world as we know it" is wiped out or even just plunged into a less devastating
catastrophe.I've been wondering if there IS anyone else who sees the logic of this and is in a position to do something? And I hope (but don't
expect) that there IS a program underway that "they" just haven't told us about yet...
More than likely though it will be an "every Earth creature for itself" situation...