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- Portrait of a Doomed Asteroid
A new study provides a possible explanation of mysterious X-ray flares detected by the Chandra K-ray Observatory for several years in the region of Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A*. The study suggests a cloud around Sgr A*, a supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, which contains hundreds of trillions of asteroids and comets that have been stripped from their parent stars. The flares occur when asteroids of six miles or larger in radius are consumed by the black hole. An asteroid that undergoes a close encounter with another object, such as a star or planet, can be thrown into an orbit headed towards Sgr A*. If the asteroid passes within about 100 million miles of the black hole, roughly the distance between the Earth and the sun, it is torn into pieces by the tidal forces from the black hole. These fragments would then be vaporized by friction as they pass through the hot, thin gas flowing onto Sgr A*, similar to a meteor heating up and glowing as it falls through Earth's atmosphere. A flare is produced and eventually the remains of the asteroid are swallowed by the black hole. Image Credit: Illustrations: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
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Daily Archives: March 14, 2008
Blood Warmer Part 1
Having spent a large portion of my life playing hockey at a fairly elite level, there is nothing that quite triggers the same response in me as a rousing National Anthem. I have been conditioned like a Pavlov Dog, you’re … Continue reading
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Crossing America – The Exercise – My Approach
So I clued you into the Crossing America exercise. Here is the actual scenario for this one. You have the opportunity to go back in time, arriving on the east coast of North America circa 1650, and your goal is … Continue reading
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Crossing America – The exercise
Over at Kim’s place, he has initiated the annual Crossing America exercise. Essentially, you are transported back in time to 1650 North America. Your mission is to cross the United States, in addition to the specified equipment that you will … Continue reading
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Another “What kind of _____ are you?”
I received this in marketing material earlier in the week. I see it is getting some play around the blogosphere, so I am joining the bandwagon. I kind of like the results. I am a: Colt model 1911 in 45ACP … Continue reading
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