Santa could become a comet (in a few million years)

[MeteorWayne]

Interesting story on TNO (Trans Neptunian Object) Santa from the AAS meeting reported by the BBC.<br /><br />"An unusual dwarf planet discovered in the outer Solar System could be en route to becoming the brightest comet ever known. <br /><br />2003 EL61 is a large, dense, rugby-ball-shaped hunk of rock with a fast rotation rate. <br /><br />Professor Mike Brown has calculated that the object could be due a close encounter with the planet Neptune. <br /><br />If so, Neptune's gravity could catapult it into the inner Solar System as a short-period comet. <br /><br />"If you came back in two million years, EL61 could well be a comet," said Professor Brown, from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. <br /><br />"When it becomes a comet, it will be the brightest we will ever see." <br /><br />Cosmic oddball <br /><br />2003 EL61 is a large object; it is as big as Pluto along its longest dimension. It is one of the largest of a swarm of icy objects that inhabit a region of the outer Solar System known as the Kuiper Belt. <br /><br />But it is extremely unusual: spinning on its axis every four hours, it has developed an elongated shape. <br /><br />2003 EL61 is apparently composed of rock with just a thin veneer of water-ice covering its surface. Other Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) contain much more water-ice. <br /><br />Professor Brown's computer simulations show that the object is on a very unstable orbit and set for a close encounter with Neptune. <br /><br />The eighth planet's gravitational force could either sling the icy rock ball into the inner Solar System as a comet, out into the distant Oort Cloud region, or even into interstellar space."<br /><br /> Full Article <br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

MeterorWayne<br />This is what I have been hoping for! I am sure it will graze our atmosphere on the ingoing and outgoing trip, as well as smack into the moon. I can't wait! I'm getting my bomb shelter ready. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Well, I fear I shall not be around in 2 million years <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[billslugg]

MeteorWayne<br />My psychic assured me I would outlive the Clinton/Bush presidency. Thats what? 2.00001 million years?<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

I'm not sure, let me check the weather forecast for hell <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[mikeemmert]

This article sounded so strange that I took the liberty of writing to Dr. Brown directly:<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Mike Emmert wrote:<br /> /> Dear Dr. Brown;<br /> /> <br /> /> This:<br /> /> <br /> /> <br />http://uplink.space.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=sciastro&Number=652981&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=0&fpart=<br /> /> <br /> /> appeared in Space.com and there is a link to a BBC<br /> /> article:<br /> /> <br /> /> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6268799.stm<br /> /> <br /> /> I find this highly unlikely, to say the least. With a<br /> /> perihelion of at least 5 A.U. greater than Neptune,<br /> /> evolution into a grazing orbit would take considerably<br /> /> longer than 2,000,000 years. Simulating this on my<br /> /> home computer would take several weeks, should I<br /> /> bother? I've got classes...<br /> /> <br /> /> - Mike Emmert<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />And he replied:<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>yeah, my "billion" somehow got changed to "million" in the article!<br />mike<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote>I thought so. There can be a lot of movement in the Kuiper belt in two billion years. Hopefully by that time we'll have that all converted into space colonys forming a Dyson Sphere.<br /><br />I think the most disastrous comet showers might come from a large, undiscovered object which was thoroughly discussed in this thread: "Does Nemesis Exist? Has it Ever?". Please note that all opinions expressed in that thread are those of the posters, except where a link is given.<br /><br />mlorrey got himself b

 

[bobw]

Congratulations on finding the error! Millions, billions... it's all the same to me <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>