Meteor Watch

Im watching the film Deep Impact on TV at the moment and I was just wondering about the possiblities of that happening.

Would we know in time to take evasive action?

Do we have the technology to take such action?

Id like to think that our scientist boffins have everything under control but is that the fact? We hear every now and again about near misses but no one ever tells us what are chances of survival are if a meteor was to come our way.

Just wondered what peoples thought were on this?

For every meteor/asteroid we see there are 100 we dont according to an astronomer i saw on TV once.

He said if we get hit we are most likely wont see it.

Originally posted by SapphireHarlequin
Im watching the film Deep Impact on TV at the moment and I was just wondering about the possiblities of that happening.

Would we know in time to take evasive action?

Do we have the technology to take such action?

Id like to think that our scientist boffins have everything under control but is that the fact? We hear every now and again about near misses but no one ever tells us what are chances of survival are if a meteor was to come our way.

Just wondered what peoples thought were on this?

If my memory is correct Deep Impact was about a comet hitting the earth, and not an asteroid. I believe comets are easier to spot, due to how much light they reflect. An asteroid could sneak all the way up to our front door without us noticing it - and then it would knock...

There was some news not so long ago about NASA releasing some news about a NEA being the closest to our atmosphere than anything else for a long time and this was supposed to be a big comet/asteroid i forget which it were.
Anyway NASA only just released this news a few weeks ago but the asteroid did this in March so we only get to know about it months after.

I dont think it was potentially dangerous but it does worry me that we only get to know months after it already happened.