Meteors on our planetary windshield

Science and Technology
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This image represents all the Bolides ( small asteroids) that have crashed into earth over the past 20 years. When i saw this it reminded me of what my windshield looked like after a day of driving across the southwest. The only difference is that instead of bugs smashing into the windshield of my car these are chunks of rock smashing into our planets atmospheric windshield as it races along its path around the sun.

Borrowed from Space.com. See full article here Small Asteroid Impacts Spark Fireballs in Earth's Sky Every Other Week | Space

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This image represents all the Bolides ( small asteroids) that have crashed into earth over the past 20 years. When i saw this it reminded me of what my windshield looked like after a day of driving across the southwest. The only difference is that instead of bugs smashing into the windshield of my car these are chunks of rock smashing into our planets atmospheric windshield as it races along its path around the sun. Borrowed from Space.com. See full article here http://www.space.com/27792-nasa-fireball-asteroid-impact-map.html
Scary. But what would you do about it? What could anyone do! Somehow I have managed to get through my whole life without being hit by one. Nor has anyone I know been hit by one. Are we lucky, or what? Lois
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...Somehow I have managed to get through my whole life without being hit by one. Nor has anyome I know been hit by one. Are we lucky, or what? Lois
We are tiny and short-lived.
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Very true, Tim. fortunately the vast majority of these bolides merely make pretty streaks in the sky (at least at night).

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Yes, we are tiny, short-lived, and have an atmosphere that burns up most of them. But if one were lucky enough to have one hit nearby (and not die as a result) I hear they are worth a lot of money.

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If you’re really curious Tim check out the prices on EBay. Some are astronomical, pardon the pun.
Cap’t Jack

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If you're really curious Tim check out the prices on EBay. Some are astronomical, pardon the pun. Cap't Jack
In that case, if one lands in my living room, I will check Ebay, before I contact my State Farm agent.
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Scary. But what would you do about it? What could anyone do! Somehow I have managed to get through my whole life without being hit by one. Nor has anyome I know been hit by one. Are we lucky, or what? Lois
Well in regards to these objects not much needs to be done. The bigger ones are another story, but I just posted it because it really does remind me of a windshield. Sometimes its hard to see the big picture because this planet we inhabit is so large but in a real sense we are sitting on an object speeding around the sun just like a vehicle and our atmosphere actually does act like a windshield of sorts with rocks instead of insects splattering on the front window as we speed along. Although this graphic doesn't show it our front window gets smacked with these things far more than the rear one just as you would expect. In fact that's why you will always see more meteors during a meteor shower if you wait until after midnight when you are facing the front of the vehicle.
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Scary. But what would you do about it? What could anyone do!
Windshield wipers !
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Although this graphic doesn't show it our front window gets smacked with these things far more than the rear one just as you would expect. In fact that's why you will always see more meteors during a meteor shower if you wait until after midnight when you are facing the front of the vehicle.
Very cool way to describe it. fascinating image too, thanks.
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...Somehow I have managed to get through my whole life without being hit by one. Nor has anyome I know been hit by one. Are we lucky, or what? Lois
We are tiny and short-lived. Perhaps a blessing. As Thomas Hobbes said the life of man is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." I always wondered about the "short" aspect. Who would find "short" to be a negative with those conditions? Was he throwing in some cruel satire? He should have said it is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and too damned long." Lois
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Thevillageatheist - 18 November 2014 07:31 PM If you’re really curious Tim check out the prices on EBay. Some are astronomical, pardon the pun. Cap’t Jack In that case, if one lands in my living room, I will check Ebay, before I contact my State Farm agent.
No my friend, Contact me! I promise I'll give you a "fair" price for it, heh heh! Cap't Jack