NASA | Swift and Hubble Probe an Asteroid Crash

The video discusses the challenges of navigating asteroid fields, highlighting the odds of success. It explores the discovery of asteroid collisions, particularly focusing on the 2010 observations of asteroid 596 Sheila. Using Hubble and Swift, astronomers identified the aftermath of collisions, ruling out comet characteristics. The video analyzes the impact and debris behavior, noting that such events may occur annually in the asteroid belt.

What is the approximate probability of successfully navigating an asteroid field?

• 1 in 3720

• 1 in 1000

• 1 in 5000

• 1 in 10000

What did Hubble initially mistake the unusual tail for in 2010?

• A black hole

• A star

• A comet

• A new planet

What was the cause of the tail observed on asteroid 596 Sheila?

• Gravitational pull from a nearby planet

• A volcanic eruption

• A collision with another asteroid

• Solar wind effects

How fast was the smaller asteroid traveling when it collided with Sheila?

• 50,000 mph

• 5,000 mph

• 11,000 mph

• 20,000 mph

How often do astronomers estimate collisions like the one involving Sheila occur in the asteroid belt?

• Every century

• Every decade

• Every year

• Every month