Have asteroids hit every planet?
e_o...@lvc.edu
address. Thanks.
-liz
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Dave Storey
2) what's your definition of planet?
Assuming you mean 'some chunk of rock/ice/etc' (as opposed to
'something going around in the asteroid belt'), and 'one of the 9, oops
8, large things-orbiting-the-sun' then:-
3) Yes, unless the laws of chance no longer apply.
And, btw, asteroids have also hit most of the moons (things which
orbit things-which-orbit-the-sun).
In article <78tqvk$o7t$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>, e_o...@lvc.edu writes
Rgds
Dave Storey
Jonathan TATE
evidence of impacts. Even Europa has significant craters. so, everything
gets hit sooner or later!
Jay Tate
Spaceguard UK
Jonathan TATE
Jupiter! Even the Earth has had its fair share, and will continue to do so
in the future - hence the Spaceguard project.
Jay Tate
Spaceguard UK
rob beattie
What is this spaceguard UK?
Jonathan TATE
Introduction
The threat posed to mankind by the impact of an asteroid or comet is now
widely recognised as one of the most significant risks to human
civilisation, yet there is no co-ordinated international effort to identify
threatening Near Earth Objects (NEO's) or to deal with them once detected.
The United Kingdom has unique intellectual and physical resources that could
put the nation at the forefront of any international Planetary Defence
programme. Spaceguard UK is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of
such a programme, and United Kingdom participation therein.
Over the past decade or so it has become apparent that asteroidal and
cometary impacts have played a dramatic, possibly leading role in the
development of this planet, and the evolution of life. Natural Science is in
the throes of a revolution in thinking, akin to that that occurred after the
publication of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species by Means of
Natural Selection". With this understanding comes the realisation that there
is no reason to believe that this extraterrestrial influence is at an end,
and the possibility that a major impact could severely disrupt, or even
destroy our current way of life on a global scale is one to be considered
seriously.
As a result of this ongoing research there is a growing international
movement dedicated to quantifying and assessing the risk, and to determining
methods of avoiding threatening impacts. While the subject has traditionally
suffered from a great deal of scepticism this attitude is now generally seen
as archaic, and the matter has become one of serious research. The leading
institution involved internationally is the Rome based Spaceguard
Foundation.
Aims
Spaceguard UK was established at the beginning of 1997 to pursue the
following aims:
* To promote and encourage British activities involving the discovery and
follow-up observations of Near Earth Objects.
* To promote the study of the physical and dynamic properties of asteroids
and comets, with particular emphasis on Near Earth Objects.
* To promote the establishment of an international, ground based
surveillance network (the Spaceguard Project) for the discovery, observation
and follow-up study of Near Earth Objects.
* To provide a national United Kingdom information service to raise public
awareness of the Near Earth Object threat, and technology available to
predict and avoid dangerous impacts.
Affiliation
Spaceguard UK is affiliated with the international Spaceguard Foundation.
The Aims of Spaceguard UK are fully harmonised with those of the Foundation.
The activities of Spaceguard UK are intended in no way to detract from those
of the Foundation; they are intended to support and complement them, with a
specific bias towards the situation as it pertains to the United Kingdom.
Details of the Spaceguard Foundation, its aims, by-laws and membership can
be obtained from The Spaceguard Foundation or from Spaceguard UK.
Activities
Members of Spaceguard UK have already been active in promoting the
assessment of the United Kingdom's contribution to the international NEO
detection effort. A number of well-publicised meetings have been
precipitated by the activities of Spaceguard UK, taking the subject of
Planetary Defence from the realm of a handful of experts to the corridors of
the House of Commons and the British media. Spaceguard UK is acknowledged
as the prime UK non-governmental organisation concerned with Planetary
Defence and the impact threat, and is the most influential body of its type
in the country.
Current activities are concentrated on ensuring that the consensus achieved
at the meetings of the UK NEO Working Group is transformed into meaningful
action by the British government and organisations world-wide. This will be
achieved through continued co-operation with relevant national and
international institutions, an active and ongoing press campaign and the
dissemination of information to the general public by physical and
electronic means. In addition, Spaceguard UK is developing a sensible and
feasible action plan for the development of a UK project to detect and study
potentially threatening near Earth objects, as part of the growing
international programme.
Over the past eighteen months, members of Spaceguard UK have been involved
in over a dozen television appearances, six radio broadcasts, and have had
more than twenty articles published in popular and professional journals.
In addition, nine public lectures have been delivered country-wide.
A quarterly publication, IMPACT, containing news and articles of interest is
distributed to all members.
Spaceguard UK Membership
* Patrons
Patrons are those individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the
field of NEO studies, or who have special qualifications that enable them to
significantly further the aims of Spaceguard UK. Sir Bernard Lovell, Sir
Crispin Tickell, Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Dr Patrick Moore are Patrons of
Spaceguard UK.
* Associate Membership
Associate Members are those currently involved in activities or studies
related to Planetary Defence, and who will form a core of multi-disciplinary
expertise in the subject. Anyone wishing to become an Associate Member is
invited to contact Spaceguard UK.
* Visiting Membership
Visiting Members are those currently involved in activities or studies
related to the NEO Impact Threat, or who have made outstanding contributions
in the field of NEO studies but who are not British nationals.
* General Membership
General Membership is open to any individual with an interest in the subject
of the NEO Impact Threat. Applicants are invited to contact Spaceguard UK
with a brief statement of their interest and any relevant qualifications
that might be of use or interest to other members.
* Corporate Membership
Corporate Membership is open to those organisations or societies that share
the aims of Spaceguard UK.
* Membership Fees:
Annual Spaceguard UK General Membership fee is £12.00 (UK), or £14.00
(abroad). Corporate Membership fees will be negotiated with the relevant
parties.
For further information, please contact:
Spaceguard UK
Cygnus Lodge
High Street, Figheldean
Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 8JT
Tel: 01980 671380
Fax: 01980 671381
E-Mail: fr...@dial.pipex.com
Or visit our Website at:
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/spaceguard/
The help and assistance of the professional members of Spaceguard UK is
acknowledged with thanks.
Dr David Asher
Professor M E Bailey
Dr M Baillie
Dr Sue Bowler
Dr S V M Clube
Simon Clucas
Dr Matthew Genge
Dr Monica Grady
Dr Simon Green
Dr M Grady
Peter Grego
Dr John Gribbin
Dr N J Holloway
Dr B J Peiser
Dr P Roche
Dr J E Salt
Robin Scagell
Peter Snow
Dr D Steel
Dr. David W. Hughes
Dr Ian Lyon
Professor J A M McDonnell
Dr Brian Marsden
Dr Michael Martin-Smith
Robert Matthews
Dr Jacqueline Mitton
Dr W M Napier
Mr. Nick Pope
Dr P Roche
Dr Jasper Wall
Dr Gareth Williams
Professor I P Williams
Jerry Workman
Dr J Zarnecki
Dr Mike A'Hearn
Dr Walter Alvarez
Dave Balam
Professor Richard Binzel
Peter Brown
Dr Greg Canavan
Dr Nikolaj Chernykh
Dr Paul Chodas
Dr Paolo Farinella
Dr Andrea Carusi
Dr Tom Gehrels
Dr Mayo Greenberg
Maj Wynn Greene
Dr Gehard Hahn
Dr Alan W. Harris
Dr Scott Hudson
Dr Eleanor Helin
Lt Col Lindley Johnson
Dr Syuzo Isobe
Bob Kobres
Dr Steve Larson
David Levy
Dr Alain Maury
Dr Robert McMillan
Dr Andrea Milani
Dr Karri Muinonen
Professor W Mullen
Dr Steven Ostro
Dr Steven Pravdo
Dr Petr Pravec
Dr David Rabinowitz
Dr Hans Rickman
Dr Joel Schiff
Dr. Ken Seidelmann
Dr Carolyn Shoemaker
Dr Viktor Shor
Dr Milos Tichy
Dr Jana Ticha
Dr G. Verschuur
Colonel S.P Worden
Dr Don Yeomans
Dr. Jin Zhu
Andy Mabbett
>Have asteroids hit every planet?
All planets have hit asteroids; the planets usually win ;-)
--
Andy Mabbett
** Freddie Starr ate my sig **
rob beattie
query.
Jonathan TATE
yet. But thers is a lot of misleading information about it out there.
There is actually going to be an ajournment debate on the impact threat in
the House of Commons next Wedmnesdy, so we'll have to see how that goes!
All the best
Jay Tate
Spaceguard UK