Mars (under) Attack!!

[rpm]

link

Astronomers in NASA’s Near Earth Object (NEO) monitoring program are tracking the trajectory of an asteroid estimated to be 50 meter (160 feet) wide that is expected to cross Mars' orbital path early next year. Observations provided by the astronomers and analyzed by NASA's NEO Office at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., indicate the object is likely to pass within 50,000 kilometers (30,000 miles) of Mars at 5:55 a.m. EST (10:55 UT) on Jan. 30, 2008. There is also a 1 in 75 probability that the asteroid will slam into the planet at that time.

"Right now asteroid 2007 WD5 is about half-way between the Earth and Mars and closing the distance at a speed of about 27,900 miles per hour," said Don Yeomans, manager of the Near Earth Object Office at JPL. If the asteroid does indeed strike Mars, it will impact somewhere in an 800 kilometer (500 mile) wide band that crosses the Martian equator.

"We estimate such impacts occur on Mars every thousand years or so," said Steve Chesley, a scientist at JPL. "If 2007 WD5 were to thump Mars on Jan. 30, we calculate it would hit at about 50,000 kilometers per hour (30,000 miles per hour) and might create a crater more than half-a-mile wide."

Such a collision could release about three megatons of energy.

Has anyone seen my Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator?

[Maverick]

Serves then right if they get hit after the way they invaded Earth so many times!  

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Maverick
Serves then right if they get hit after the way they invaded Earth so many times!