German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures: paper

iranmp3 · 16-04-08, 07:51

BERLIN (AFP) - A 13-year-old German schoolboy corrected NASA's estimates on the chances of an asteroid colliding with Earth, a German newspaper reported Tuesday, after spotting the boffins had miscalculated.

Nico Marquardt used telescopic findings from the Institute of Astrophysics in Potsdam (AIP) to calculate that there was a 1 in 450 chance that the Apophis asteroid will collide with Earth, the Potsdamer Neuerster Nachrichten reported.

NASA had previously estimated the chances at only 1 in 45,000 but told its sister organisation, the European Space Agency (ESA), that the young whizzkid had got it right.

The schoolboy took into consideration the risk of Apophis running into one or more of the 40,000 satellites orbiting Earth during its path close to the planet on April 13 2029.

Those satellites travel at 3.07 kilometres a second (1.9 miles), at up to 35,880 kilometres above earth -- and the Apophis asteroid will pass by earth at a distance of 32,500 kilometres.

If the asteroid strikes a satellite in 2029, that will change its trajectory making it hit earth on its next orbit in 2036.

Both NASA and Marquardt agree that if the asteroid does collide with earth, it will create a ball of iron and iridium 320 metres (1049 feet) wide and weighing 200 billion tonnes, which will crash into the Atlantic Ocean.

The shockwaves from that would create huge tsunami waves, destroying both coastlines and inland areas, whilst creating a thick cloud of dust that would darken the skies indefinitely.

The 13-year old made his discovery as part of a regional science competition for which he submitted a project entitled: "Apophis -- The Killer Astroid."

mahtab_persia · 16-04-08, 08:01

jesus christ, this kid must be a bloody genius. ey khoda, chi mishe

iranmp3 · 16-04-08, 08:12

	Quote: Originally Posted by mahtab_persia
	jesus christ, this kid must be a bloody genius. ey khoda, chi mishe

be man rafteh

mahtab_persia · 16-04-08, 08:32

	Quote: Originally Posted by iranmp3
	be man rafteh

azizam keep dreaming

only kiddin

iranmp3 · 17-04-08, 06:23

	Quote: Originally Posted by mahtab_persia
	azizam keep dreaming only kiddin

lol

MysteriousG · 17-04-08, 06:33

Khosh behalesh

16-04-08, 07:51	#1 (permalink)
iranmp3 Jupiter Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Earth Posts: 5,146 Credits: 23,981 Thanks: 980 Thanked 2,657 Times in 1,017 Posts	German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures: paper German schoolboy, 13, corrects NASA's asteroid figures: paper BERLIN (AFP) - A 13-year-old German schoolboy corrected NASA's estimates on the chances of an asteroid colliding with Earth, a German newspaper reported Tuesday, after spotting the boffins had miscalculated. Nico Marquardt used telescopic findings from the Institute of Astrophysics in Potsdam (AIP) to calculate that there was a 1 in 450 chance that the Apophis asteroid will collide with Earth, the Potsdamer Neuerster Nachrichten reported. NASA had previously estimated the chances at only 1 in 45,000 but told its sister organisation, the European Space Agency (ESA), that the young whizzkid had got it right. The schoolboy took into consideration the risk of Apophis running into one or more of the 40,000 satellites orbiting Earth during its path close to the planet on April 13 2029. Those satellites travel at 3.07 kilometres a second (1.9 miles), at up to 35,880 kilometres above earth -- and the Apophis asteroid will pass by earth at a distance of 32,500 kilometres. If the asteroid strikes a satellite in 2029, that will change its trajectory making it hit earth on its next orbit in 2036. Both NASA and Marquardt agree that if the asteroid does collide with earth, it will create a ball of iron and iridium 320 metres (1049 feet) wide and weighing 200 billion tonnes, which will crash into the Atlantic Ocean. The shockwaves from that would create huge tsunami waves, destroying both coastlines and inland areas, whilst creating a thick cloud of dust that would darken the skies indefinitely. The 13-year old made his discovery as part of a regional science competition for which he submitted a project entitled: "Apophis -- The Killer Astroid."

16-04-08, 08:01	#2 (permalink)
mahtab_persia Neptune Join Date: May 2006 Location: England, London Posts: 6,236 Credits: 131,065 Thanks: 3,886 Thanked 1,643 Times in 1,159 Posts	jesus christ, this kid must be a bloody genius. ey khoda, chi mishe __________________ Siavash Shams Will Be Performing Live in London @ The Bloomsbury Ballroom Along With 5 Of The Top Persian DJ's In London. Ticket Prices are £30 and More Are Sold On The Door. For more information call : 07853 390 749 or 07947 690 007 ★★★★★★★★★★★★ Location & Time ★★★★★★★★★★★★ Start Time: Friday, 27 November 2009 at 20:00 End Time: Saturday, 28 November 2009 at 02:00 Location: BLOOMSBURY BALLROOM Street: Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, Holborn, WC1B 4DA Town/City: London, United Kingdom

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17-04-08, 06:33	#6 (permalink)
MysteriousG Neptune Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Netherlands Posts: 6,210 Credits: 13,840 Thanks: 2,237 Thanked 1,466 Times in 818 Posts	*Khosh behalesh*