IMPACT : Death from Above
A mile-wide asteroid colliding with Earth would have the equivalent destructive force of 7 million atomic bombs. A massive explosion would occur, vaporizing the entire area. An enormous amount of dust and vapor would block out the sun for several months. The climate of the planet would get dramatically colder at first, and then months later get dramatically warmer due to a greenhouse effect. Life on most of Earth would cease to exist as we know it, and at the very least, change so much that the results are still unfathomable.
Before we begin, there are a few things you should know....
ASTEROID \As"ter*oid\, n. A starlike body; esp. one of the numerous small celestial bodies whose orbits lie between those of Mars and Jupiter
METEOR \Me"te*or\, n : a meteoroid that has entered the earth's atmosphere
METEORITE \Me"te*or*oid\, n. refers to a chunk of matter reaching the ground, either being recoverable or creating a hole in the Earth's crust
The following pages are ones I've created to inform those of you who find this page about this phenomenon.
| Meteorite Impacts | | More About Comet Impact | | The Simulated Effects of a Small Comet |
The following are links to other similar sites
Asteroid and Comet Impact Hazards This is NASA's site for the potential impact of a comet or asteroid to our planet. Chock full of info. A must for anyone interested in impact.
Deep Impact This is the Paramount movie due out on May 8th, 1998. The website is surprisingly well-constructed with a deep scientific background. Information, pictures, and links.
Galileo to Jupiter This website is about Project Galileo and Jupiter, including information about the meteor that struck Jupiter in 1994.
(c) 1998 William Jessee