Comets created Earth's Oceans

kennyc · 10-08-2011, 08:38 AM

By Charles Q. Choi
updated 10/5/2011 6:22:50 PM ET

The dirty snowballs known as comets might be the sources of Earth's water after all, scientists say.

Water is critical to life on Earth — life is found virtually wherever there is water on our planet. Researchers have spent decades debating where Earth's water and other key ingredients of life came from.

Prior studies had suggested that early Earth was dry, lacking water and other so-called volatile materials.

Now Earth-like water has been discovered in the small oddball comet Hartley 2, which the Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft flew by in November 2010. This comet originated in the disk-shaped Kuiper belt, a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, suggesting this is ultimately where much of Earth's water came from......

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44792926.../#.TpBD0LL5-5I

Cyclops · 10-09-2011, 10:14 AM

I thought it was Argos!

Stephen_Melling · 10-09-2011, 10:23 AM

Must have been an impressive comet - or series of them! Interesting stuff.

RainingLemur · 10-09-2011, 11:22 PM

That's very interesting. Would have to have been one killer-sized comet to provide ALL of the water...

Sweetpea · 10-10-2011, 03:09 AM

I saw a documentary the other day, about the creation of the earth. They also mentioned that all water came from comets. Not one, but a lot, over a very long period of them (and I'm talking tens of thousands of years here...) It seemed very plausible...

xg4bx · 10-10-2011, 03:15 AM

if we ever terraform another planet this is how we are going to do it.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/techn...-comets/18908/

i just saw an article that the moon is full of titanium, perfect for a mining colony.

astronomy is awesome.

wannabee · 10-10-2011, 10:37 AM

Slightly off topic but presumably to the right audience. Why does the full moon rise as the sun sets? And because it's done it a lot, (millions and millions) how come it never went out of sync like my watch?

kennyc · 10-10-2011, 10:38 AM

Because it's getting further away.

wannabee · 10-10-2011, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

Because it's getting further away.

Sorry mate, can you explain that for a dummy?

wannabee · 10-10-2011, 10:42 AM

Bugger, it's two in the morning here. Good night everyone.

kennyc · 10-10-2011, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Slightly off topic but presumably to the right audience. Why does the full moon rise as the sun sets? And because it's done it a lot, (millions and millions) how come it never went out of sync like my watch?

If you are seriously asking, it's because the only time the moon can appear full is when it is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun.

http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases.phtml

Cyclops · 10-10-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Slightly off topic but presumably to the right audience. Why does the full moon rise as the sun sets? And because it's done it a lot, (millions and millions) how come it never went out of sync like my watch?

It doesnt. Sometimes you get a full moon midday! The moons orbit is not tied to the earths rotation per se. Luna orbits earth once every 30 days, the earth rotates once every 23 hours, 59 minutes approx, spinning at 12,300 mph.

DixieGal · 10-10-2011, 11:40 AM

Which means that there must have been plenty of water on the other rocky planets 9 or 10 billion years ago as well. I wonder if it split into H's and O's, or if the water molecules are still floating out there in the solar system?

This may have been in the article, but my eyes are not ready for "real" reading yet.

Cyclops · 10-10-2011, 12:56 PM

I think the idea was that Comet Halley was a dirty snowball when it appeared in 1986 but that doesnt mean ALL comets are!

kennyc · 10-10-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Which means that there must have been plenty of water on the other rocky planets 9 or 10 billion years ago as well. I wonder if it split into H's and O's, or if the water molecules are still floating out there in the solar system?

This may have been in the article, but my eyes are not ready for "real" reading yet.

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/1858...space-ever.htm

10-08-2011, 08:38 AM	#1
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Comets created Earth's Oceans By Charles Q. Choi updated 10/5/2011 6:22:50 PM ET The dirty snowballs known as comets might be the sources of Earth's water after all, scientists say. Water is critical to life on Earth — life is found virtually wherever there is water on our planet. Researchers have spent decades debating where Earth's water and other key ingredients of life came from. Prior studies had suggested that early Earth was dry, lacking water and other so-called volatile materials. Now Earth-like water has been discovered in the small oddball comet Hartley 2, which the Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft flew by in November 2010. This comet originated in the disk-shaped Kuiper belt, a region of the solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune, suggesting this is ultimately where much of Earth's water came from...... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44792926.../#.TpBD0LL5-5I

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Water on Moon is from Comets	kennyc	Lounge	2	01-13-2011 06:21 AM
Life Found in the Deepest layer of Earth's Crust	kennyc	Lounge	0	11-19-2010 05:02 PM
Free book (Kindle/Nook) Crossing Oceans	arcadata	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	11-15-2010 03:28 AM
Seriously thoughtful What Heats the Earth's Core?	kennyc	Lounge	58	10-07-2010 08:05 AM
Google Print: earth's largest searchable library	Colin Dunstan	News	4	12-16-2004 04:22 AM

10-09-2011, 10:14 AM	#2
Cyclops Only need one eye to read Posts: 796 Karma: 6277024 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Darlington, England Device: Kobo Touch N905C, Sony PRS-300, Nintendo DSi XL,	I thought it was Argos!

10-09-2011, 10:23 AM	#3
Stephen_Melling Stephen_Melling Posts: 133 Karma: 479422 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Preston, Lancashire Device: kindle	Must have been an impressive comet - or series of them! Interesting stuff.

10-09-2011, 11:22 PM	#4
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	That's very interesting. Would have to have been one killer-sized comet to provide ALL of the water...

10-10-2011, 03:09 AM	#5
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I saw a documentary the other day, about the creation of the earth. They also mentioned that all water came from comets. Not one, but a lot, over a very long period of them (and I'm talking tens of thousands of years here...) It seemed very plausible...

10-10-2011, 03:15 AM	#6
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	if we ever terraform another planet this is how we are going to do it. http://www.theatlanticwire.com/techn...-comets/18908/ i just saw an article that the moon is full of titanium, perfect for a mining colony. astronomy is awesome.

10-10-2011, 10:37 AM	#7
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,381 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Slightly off topic but presumably to the right audience. Why does the full moon rise as the sun sets? And because it's done it a lot, (millions and millions) how come it never went out of sync like my watch?

10-10-2011, 10:38 AM	#8
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Because it's getting further away.

10-10-2011, 10:42 AM	#10
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,381 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Bugger, it's two in the morning here. Good night everyone.

10-10-2011, 11:40 AM	#13
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	Which means that there must have been plenty of water on the other rocky planets 9 or 10 billion years ago as well. I wonder if it split into H's and O's, or if the water molecules are still floating out there in the solar system? This may have been in the article, but my eyes are not ready for "real" reading yet.

10-10-2011, 12:56 PM	#14
Cyclops Only need one eye to read Posts: 796 Karma: 6277024 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Darlington, England Device: Kobo Touch N905C, Sony PRS-300, Nintendo DSi XL,	I think the idea was that Comet Halley was a dirty snowball when it appeared in 1986 but that doesnt mean ALL comets are!

Advert

Advert