HW_ScienceNOW
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School
Temple University *
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Course
0836
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
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2
Uploaded by ProfNightingale4108
EES 0836
ScienceNOW Apophis
Disasters: Geology vs. Hollywood
Introduction
As we discussed in class, there is still unused planetary material out in space. While we haven't found all material (and we don’t expect to), what we have found in space are objects that, based on their orbits, will
not impact Earth. But there are a few, like Apophis, that we are watching closely because they might be a problem for us in the future. Learning Objectives
●
Describe how scientific knowledge helps in forecasting possible impacts. (1, a, b)
●
Discuss how science shapes policy aimed at preventing future impact events. (2, a, b)
Watch the short video and read the NASA article.
As you are watching the video, look for the answers to the following questions.
1.
What is Apophis? How big is it? Where does it come from?
- An asteroid. It was as wide as a thousand feet (approximately around 1,100 ft). Space debris between planets that are floating in space.
2.
What is a “shooting star”?
- Small objects in space that burn up before they hit the ground.
3.
At the end of the Cretaceous period (66 million years ago) a large asteroid hit Earth, causing a mass extinction. How big was the asteroid, and where did it hit?
- The asteroid was as big as Mount Everest and hit in Yucatan.
4.
Is it possible for Apophis to impact Earth? If so, when? - If it passes the “Keyhole,” there is a chance that it could later hit Earth. As of March 2021, it is no longer possible for Apophis to impact Earth. It will come close to Earth in 2029. There was still a small chance that it would hit Earth in 2068, but calculations have ruled that out until at least the next 100 years.
5.
Was this date guaranteed, or was more information necessary to accurately predict the date
of impact? What is this revised year? - The date was not guaranteed. It originally passed Earth in 2021, where calculations were made that it was going to make impact in 2029. There was another risk in 2036 and is now changed to pass Earth in 2068.
EES 0836
6.
What would be the effect if it were to impact a continent?
- There would be a blast area of around 60 to 100 miles across. The energy would be that of 100 nuclear bombs going off at the same time. If it hit Southern California, it could devastate several counties. 7.
Why would it be worse if it impacts the ocean?
-
It would cause a massive tsunami. More than 55 ft high waves would hit the whole coast from the Panama Canal to Alaska. 8.
This Science Now documentary is a bit older. The NASA website has updated information on Apophis’s trajectory. a)
What is the updated trajectory?
-
The trajectory for April 13, 2029, is that Apophis will come within 20,000 miles within the planet’s surface. b)
How did they figure this out?
-
They used a 70-meter radio antenna in California to track the asteroid’s motion. They also worked with the 100-meter Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia to enable imaging of the asteroid. 9.
Different scientists interviewed here have different ideas about how we can best spend our money and protect against these existential threats. In your opinion, what should we as a nation do to protect ourselves from the possibility of a future impact? (1 paragraph)
-
I believe that it is very hard to protect ourselves from a future impact. A possibility could be that scientists come together to calculate trajectories of asteroids that may be in Earth’s orbit and that could potentially hit Earth. If an asteroid were predicted to hit Earth, the scientists could warn the public and have them evacuate the impact zone. Scientists could also stop the asteroids by hitting them with something, such as smashing a spaceship into a comet, to deflect it.
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