4 ms·
As a layman, the proximity to so many asteroids seems treacherous.
by aww_dang 6y ago
As a layman, the proximity to so many asteroids seems treacherous.
- gus_massa 6y agoFrom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_belt https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asteroid_belt > Contrary to popular imagery, the asteroid belt is mostly empty. The asteroids are spread over such a large volume that it would be improbable to reach an asteroid without aiming carefully. Nonetheless, hundreds of thousands of asteroids are currently known, and the total number ranges in the millions or more, depending on the lower size cutoff. > The high population of the asteroid belt makes for a very active environment, where collisions between asteroids occur frequently (on astronomical time scales). Collisions between main-belt bodies with a mean radius of 10 km are expected to occur about once every 10 million years.[72] I think it would be nice to look in [72] to see if it has the probability that a 1m meteorite hits your head if you are nearby Ceres. It should be more frequent than the 10km meteorite they are discussing, but perhaps it's still low enough to be ignore it.
- PaulHoule 6y agoThese days people think there is more risk from a "supervolcano" than from an asteroid strike, particularly since the near earths have been much better characterized.