Spare a thought for Mimas, Suturns moon.The outer Giants are responsible for life on Earth. Life would never have started, or certainly got as complex, if the outer giants werent hoovering up meteors that otherwise would have slammed into Earth.
We've already seen Shoemaker-Levy 9 hit Jupiter. This is what happened to Mimas.
Scientists think that if this impact had been any bigger Mimas wouldnt have survived. It would have been blown to bits.
Instead we have one of the best impact craters in the Solar System.
It is 130km across and they call it Herschel.
Big, huh. lol
5 comments:
Is your interest in Cosmology (or should I be saying planetology? or something else?) a casual thing, Martin? Or is related to your work in some way?
Its just a hobby. Your right though, it is cosmology not astronomy.
I just love what we now know. It is the true zenith of the subject. We are seeing and working out things that are staggering. Our knowledge of the (known) universe grows everyday.
In a few years we will have telescopes that will be able to see planets around other stars.
Which may lead to a terrible paradox. We may prove that there is life out there but it may be too far away for us to contact by any known means. :(
Even if it all leads to a dead end, I guess the benefit of it all will be in the sheer beauty of what the universe reveals through our research. Just being able to see images of Nebulas and such things now, reminds us of how small we are in the vast scheme of things. The universe is such a beautiful and awe inspiring creation indeed. Are you familar with the Arthur C Clarke's 'Space Odyssey' books and movies? 2001,2010,2061 (I've not read his 3001). In the movie adaptions of the first two books, it really captures the scary yet beautiful vastness of space beautifully, I feel.
I love 2010. It is one of my favourite books. I have never read 2061 or 3001. Are they any good?
2061 is very good indeed. 3001, I've stayed well away from (because it surfaced so many years after that original trilogy he wrote). The storyline seemed ridiculous (only going by reading the back cover, mind you) and appears just like a cash raiser to me. I don't want to ruin my vision of the three earlier books. Have you read his 'Rendezvous with Rama'? If not, with your interest in Space exploration, I can guarantee you'll love that novel.
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