Tunguska 2 Averted by a Fraction of a Second

The Tunguska explosion involved a comet/asteroid at least 300 feet wide exploding 3-6 miles above Siberia in 1908. The meteor that detonated above a Russian city earlier today was far, far smaller, and went off at a far higher altitude. So how close did the city of Chelyabinsk come to doom?
Consider this: a ten-meter stony asteroid exploding at the altitude of the Tunguska visitor would pack the same punch as the Fat Man bomb. This rock was much bigger, with a mass of 7000 tons. Had the explosion occurred a fraction of a second later in the meteor's descent, over a populated area like Chelyabinsk, most if not all of the dash cam owners who uploaded to youtube would have been fried, along with much of the town.

Posted by: CAC at 07:02 PM

Comments

1 Global warming?

Posted by: tony redenzo at February 15, 2013 07:06 PM (lVrhB)

2

It's the water content, isn't it? ....That makes one explode?

Posted by: wheatie at February 15, 2013 07:06 PM (DZbQ0)

3 is being explodey!

Posted by: Jones in CO at February 15, 2013 07:06 PM (8sCoq)

4 SMOD needs to work on his timing.

Posted by: rickl at February 15, 2013 07:06 PM (sdi6R)

5 Stomping with SMOD now.

Posted by: tasker at February 15, 2013 07:07 PM (r2PLg)

6 SMODing is hard!

Posted by: Kristophr at February 15, 2013 07:07 PM (wYVte)

7 >SMOD needs to work on his timing.

Posted by: rickl at February 15, 2013 07:06 PM (sdi6R)

SMOD has all the time in the world

Posted by: Jones in CO at February 15, 2013 07:07 PM (8sCoq)

8 Why all the concern about it hitting over land? Big rock hits the ocean, well, lot's more people gonna die.

Posted by: HH at February 15, 2013 07:08 PM (XXwdv)

9 Tomorrow's headline: Is the SMOD Dream Fading?

Posted by: Soona at February 15, 2013 07:08 PM (TdMZc)

10 If this had happened 30-40 years ago, I wonder how close we would have come to WWIII.

Posted by: rickl at February 15, 2013 07:09 PM (sdi6R)

11 Yes, exactly why do they explode? Sudden heating of......

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 15, 2013 07:10 PM (GsoHv)

12 Premature explodeyation?

Posted by: rickl at February 15, 2013 07:10 PM (sdi6R)

13 I said DC dammit.

Posted by: What AtC said to SMOD at February 15, 2013 07:10 PM (N2yhW)

14 I was all for smod but he refuses to deliver so now he's dead to me

Posted by: phoenixgirl at February 15, 2013 07:11 PM (JlpZS)

15 What determines the elevation of the explosion?

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:11 PM (NzBQO)

16 Cruises are the new smod

Posted by: phoenixgirl at February 15, 2013 07:12 PM (JlpZS)

17 What determines the elevation of the explosion?

Thermodynamics and Aztecs, but mostly thermodynamics.

Posted by: dogfish at February 15, 2013 07:12 PM (N2yhW)

18 13 I said DC dammit.

I remember wishing for a Tunguska event over DC on Jan. 20, 2009.

Posted by: rickl at February 15, 2013 07:12 PM (sdi6R)

19 175 loaded tri-axels comin' at ya.

Posted by: tony redenzo at February 15, 2013 07:13 PM (lVrhB)

20 Someone had too much spicy Mexican food is all.

Posted by: Tilikum the Killer Assault Whale at February 15, 2013 07:13 PM (zbk1v)

21 Any chance of zombies, aliens, live trucks? Anything to break the cycle?

Posted by: USS Diversity at February 15, 2013 07:13 PM (QLJPW)

22
11Yes, exactly why do they explode? Sudden heating of......

Expansive gasses, H20...it depends on their makeup, as to whether they'll go splodey.

The solid rock ones, will hold together.
The loosely packed ones...those are the ones that will splode when heated up.

Posted by: wheatie at February 15, 2013 07:14 PM (DZbQ0)

23 "What determines the elevation of the explosion?"

The height of Godzilla's head when we fire those tiny rockets at it?

Posted by: HH at February 15, 2013 07:14 PM (XXwdv)

24 What determines the elevation of the explosion?
Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:11 PM (NzBQO)

_______________

Mass of the asteroid, the speed of entry--and the composition of the asteroid?

Posted by: tasker at February 15, 2013 07:14 PM (r2PLg)

25 Yeah, well, at least they haven't spent three days on the phone with confused DMEs, doctors, bureaucrats and insurance companies.

Effing meteor missed its calling, I tell ya.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at February 15, 2013 07:14 PM (bxiXv)

26 14
I was all for smod but he refuses to deliver so now he's dead to me

SMOD = RINO

What? Don't tell me you weren't thinking it too.

Posted by: pep at February 15, 2013 07:15 PM (6TB1Z)

27 SMOD has forsaken us because too many of us were lacking in faith. repent. REEEPEEENT!

Posted by: Tilikum the Killer Assault Whale at February 15, 2013 07:15 PM (zbk1v)

28 What determines the elevation of the explosion?

The economy.

Posted by: Teh Won at February 15, 2013 07:15 PM (N2yhW)

29 Friction.

Shoot it with astroglide!

Posted by: Moron Sex Ed Deep Space Niner at February 15, 2013 07:15 PM (r2PLg)

30 Holy sh*t. Quick, someone start sending out into space some radio waves or ultrasound thingys with Washington D.C.'s coordinates. Don't f*ck this up. We can't afford for S.M.O.D. to miss!

Posted by: Some Guy in Wisconsin at February 15, 2013 07:16 PM (LMtDw)

31 What determines the elevation of the explosion?

You mean who...

Posted by: Darth Cheney at February 15, 2013 07:16 PM (FcR7P)

32 15 What determines the elevation of the explosion?

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:11 PM (NzBQO)

I do.

Sorry, yesterday would have been more exciting if I had remembered they were metric.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at February 15, 2013 07:16 PM (bxiXv)

33 Would the angle of entry have anything to do with when it air bursts? If it comes in at a lower angle it has more atmosphere to travel through?

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:17 PM (NzBQO)

34 You know this will spawn a Deadliest Warrior episode: Chelyabinsk Meteor vs Little Boy.

Posted by: Waterhouse at February 15, 2013 07:17 PM (d4sd/)

35 Rock doesn't explode! Google it !!!

Posted by: Rosie O'Besity at February 15, 2013 07:17 PM (mCvL4)

36 If this had happened 30-40 years ago, I wonder how close we would have come to WWIII.

****

Jose Canseco would like to speak with you.

http://t.co/MZHWZFYx

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 15, 2013 07:19 PM (piMMO)

37 33 Would the angle of entry have anything to do with when it air bursts? If it comes in at a lower angle it has more atmosphere to travel through?
Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:17 PM (NzBQO)

______________

Sounds good to me.

Posted by: tasker at February 15, 2013 07:19 PM (r2PLg)

38 SMOD vote dangerously split.
Unnamed party insider claims, "They're fighting over seconds for **** sake." David Frum offers MSNBC the opinion that if the party would just return to the liberal roots of the Tunguska SMOD, moderates would flock to the party.

Posted by: msnbc breaking news at February 15, 2013 07:20 PM (ORGYc)

39 Damn it CAC--answer the questions--or will find your hash stash.

Posted by: tasker at February 15, 2013 07:20 PM (r2PLg)

40 They explode because of the intense heating when they hit the atmosphere- friction with the air creates this heat

smaller ones will burn up before impacting the surface

bigger ones explode and shower fragments over a large area

really big ones make it all the way to the surface relatively intact , and then you are in a world of shit

Posted by: Jones in CO at February 15, 2013 07:20 PM (8sCoq)

41 Sorry, yesterday would have been more exciting if I had remembered they were metric.
Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at February 15, 2013 07:16 PM (bxiXv)

So it was you that bounced the Mars Rover!

Posted by: Oldsailors Poet, Author of Amy Lynn available on KINDLE finally at February 15, 2013 07:20 PM (l86i3)

42
most if not all of the dash cam owners who uploaded to youtube would have been fried
Posted by: CAC

Well, yes -- but there'd probably be a downside too.....

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 15, 2013 07:20 PM (kdS6q)

43 The Republicans would use their meteors if only they could figure out how to hit only black people.

/CNN

Posted by: zsasz at February 15, 2013 07:20 PM (MMC8r)

44 Ace just kicked you in the nutty buddys CAC.

Posted by: dogfish at February 15, 2013 07:21 PM (N2yhW)

45 "The Russian Academy of Sciences said it entered theEarth's atmosphere
at 33,000mph (54,000kph) - 15 times the speed of a rifle bullet"

ASSAULT METEORITE!!!!

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:21 PM (NzBQO)

46 Don't know if you guys saw it, but Drudge had a countown on his page. 4 minutes, 3 minutes (showing a meteor heading into earth).

Page kept refreshing, then suddenly showed a great shot of our planet from space...

SAFE!

I thought that was pretty funny.

Posted by: HH at February 15, 2013 07:23 PM (XXwdv)

47 really big ones make it all the way to the surface relatively intact, and then you are in a world of shit
Really?

Posted by: the dinosaurs at February 15, 2013 07:23 PM (ORGYc)

48 If this isn't SMOD's traveling companion, then the question has to be were any more of them hanging around nearby ready to strike soon?

Posted by: Rosie O'Besity at February 15, 2013 07:23 PM (mCvL4)

49
The sun had just come up. How were kids in school? Who had cameras out and about?

Posted by: USS Diversity at February 15, 2013 07:24 PM (QLJPW)

50 That NASA link says 7,000 tons, but this morning I was reading 10 tons. I guess I'd have to believe NASA. The videos were incredible. It seems like the shock wave was delayed by at least 20 seconds. Some of the dash cam ones never even heard the boom. Maybe it was delayed by minutes. It's hard to imagine how something can go so fast, that it turns white hot and explodes just from friction.

Posted by: Chris M at February 15, 2013 07:25 PM (b3vSq)

51
I don't think I've ever seen such a look of misery and dejection on the face of my daughter as I just did a moment ago.

I sat down with her on the sofa and (as calmly as I could) tried to explain to her why the Republicans lob meteorites at the planet. I tried to keep my voice steady, but it became increasingly difficult - the rage and feelings of helplessness were just too much. She could tell something was wrong. I found myself at such a loss for words - nothing made any sense; nothing makes sense anymore. I finally had to admit, " I just don't know - I don't know what's going on in this country anymore..."

When I finished her lower lip started to tremble and her eyes began to fill with tears, "Mommy" she said, "why are the Republicans doing this to the country?" Well, that was it for me: I finally fell apart. I just fell into her arms and we both began sobbing for several minutes. She had to comfort me and get me back on my feet. Sometimes I just think it�s too much, but seeing the strength in my daughters voice helped me to get through.

Posted by: CheChe v.7.0 at February 15, 2013 07:26 PM (feFL6)

52 The sun had just come up. How were kids in school? Who had cameras out and about?

Posted by: USS Diversity at February 15, 2013 07:24 PM (QLJPW)

Dash cams are really common in Russia for insurance reasons. There are tons of videos on Youtube.

Posted by: Adam Smith's Invisible Pimp Hand at February 15, 2013 07:26 PM (NzBQO)

53 Serious question; why fried?

I understand concussion and impact. But what are the psychics/conditions which lead to a heat blast?

Posted by: Marcus at February 15, 2013 07:26 PM (/Fgoj)

54 So......Global warming?

Posted by: CNN NewsBimbo at February 15, 2013 07:26 PM (MMC8r)

55 open thread up

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at February 15, 2013 07:28 PM (piMMO)

56 Serious question; why fried?

I understand concussion and impact. But what are the psychics/conditions which lead to a heat blast?
Posted by: Marcus***It starts with Taco Bell...

Posted by: Tilikum the Killer Assault Whale at February 15, 2013 07:30 PM (zbk1v)

57 49

The sun had just come up. How were kids in school? Who had cameras out and about?

Posted by: USS Diversity at February 15, 2013 07:24 PM

It's winter, the northern latitudes of Russia, and it might be on the western edges of their time zone. Cam times said 9:30, seems about right

Posted by: kbdabear at February 15, 2013 07:35 PM (mCvL4)

58 I find it difficult to care.

Posted by: Grumpy Old Man at February 15, 2013 07:36 PM (kQykY)

59 Hey guys, good thing we're spending all that money on muslim outreach instead of the important stuff!

Posted by: Colorado Alex at February 15, 2013 07:40 PM (hpDVh)

60 But what are the psychics/conditions which lead to a heat blast?
Usually after I have Mexican for lunch. And I knew you were going to say that.

Posted by: the amazing kreskin at February 15, 2013 07:40 PM (ORGYc)

61 Aliens blew it up to save humanity. No wait, aliens are the ones who launched it in the first place. Ah, I can't get my conspiracy theories straight.

Posted by: MrX at February 15, 2013 07:49 PM (PxmNZ)

62 Nothing ever good happens in Siberia. First, they had those Siberian Traipses or whatever they call them where molten lava just spewed and covered the whole earth for millions of years. Second, they had the gulags. Third, that is where they killed the Tsar's family and where they have all those serial killers running lose. Fourth, it's always being flatten by meteorites.

Posted by: waldo at February 15, 2013 07:52 PM (ZzS+r)

63 The object doesn't explode per se.

You have an object traveling at 40,000 kilometers per hour hitting thicker atmosphere.

What sound does a car make hitting a wall at 60 miles per hour? What happens to the car?

Posted by: Holger at February 15, 2013 08:09 PM (MHk3m)

64 NASA is estimating 200 x the blast of Little Boy, which makes it between 280 and 300 KT, or about 2 x the most common warhead in our box of boom...

It must have been high up and far away not to had done even more damage.

Posted by: Outlaw_Wizard at February 15, 2013 08:25 PM (mKMj1)

65 Posted by: Outlaw_Wizard at February 15, 2013 08:25 PM (mKMj1)

12 to 15 miles altitude.

In comparison, Tunguska was 5-30 Megatons in energy release and exploded just a few miles up.

Posted by: Holger at February 15, 2013 09:14 PM (MHk3m)

66 Hope springs eternal....

there's always tomorrow...

Posted by: sven10077 at February 15, 2013 09:15 PM (LRFds)

67 I prayed for SMOD to strike over DC today. Is that a bad thing?

Posted by: Hand Solo at February 15, 2013 09:21 PM (9/kKc)

68 It was a controlled demolition.

Posted by: Oswald at February 15, 2013 09:23 PM (o3wWh)

69 It was a Klingon garbage scow.

Posted by: eman at February 15, 2013 09:29 PM (QfGOD)

70 First time in the history of the world that AIR made a ROCK EXPLODE!

Posted by: fat neurotic unfunny lesbian at February 15, 2013 11:22 PM (NGsLN)

71 Immediate calls for meteor control!

Posted by: Moron Labe! at February 16, 2013 12:01 AM (yMSN1)

72 I understand concussion and impact. But what are the psychics/conditions which lead to a heat blast?

In technical terms, kinetic energy scales as the square of the velocity and this object was moving like a motherf*cker. Got dump that energy somewhere if the rock doesn't go through the planet and come out the other side at the same velocity.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, Psychic at February 16, 2013 03:09 PM (opLk0)

73 Warning shot.

Posted by: Richard Aubrey at February 16, 2013 03:53 PM (MQcrX)

Processing 0.01, elapsed 0.0158 seconds.
15 queries taking 0.0067 seconds, 82 records returned.
Page size 45 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.7 alpha.