Is humanity in danger from potentially deadly asteroid impacts? How can we spot them? And how can we protect ourselves? That’s exactly what I try to figure out every day.
I work at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab designing spacecraft that can crash themselves into asteroids to prevent them from hitting Earth.
I’ve researched asteroids for years. I was an Instrument Scientist for the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) and the Chair of the Geology Discipline Group for NASA’s MESSENGER mission. I have been on five field teams with the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) program. And asteroid 6899, Nancychabot, is named after me.
I am joined by Andy Rivkin, an expert in asteroids and planetary defense, to make sure we can address all your questions.
We will be here for two hours, from 1-3pm ET on June 12.
Proof:
I’m planetary scientist Nancy Chabot, and I study the formation of rocky objects in space, including asteroids that might hit Earth. Ask Me Anything!
byu/IEEESpectrum inspace
28 Comments
What are the theories for asteroid belt? Massive planets colliding or leftovers from planet formation?
Hey were you influenced by the start of the Arthur C Clarke book Rendezvous With Rama?
At the start of the book an asteroid wiped out a significant part of Europe which contains untold amounts of historical art and culture leading to the formation of Spaceguard.
What is the best meteorite for a wedding ring in terms of age and strength? Will we ever get something older than Muonionalusta on earth?
What do you think about the Oumuamua? Could it be artificial in a way or a completely natural asteroid?
Some stories involve people “hollowing out” an asteroid and spinning it up to build an environment inside of it. How many rocky asteroids are actually going to be so cohesive as to allow that to happen? Don’t they form under very low G that’s unlikely to compress them into structurally sound forms?
Is there any economic reason to mine the asteroid belt? Is it too far away and too spread out to bother with? Do we even know if there’s anything there worth mining?
Hi Nancy (and Andy!) As a PhD student in asteroid science who’s just about to defend, do you have any advice for young career people hoping to follow in your footsteps? Are there anything things that you’re glad you’ve done to get you to where you are, and/or anythings that you regret/think you could have done differently for the better? Working in a field that (on the outside) seems so ‘impressive’, I struggle a lot with setting my expectations too high and some imposter syndrome… do you have any advice or personal experience with overcoming these things?
I would love to stay in academia and/or get involved in mission science like the two of you. But of course this all seems rather daunting. Love the work that you both do, and am SO encouraged to see an AMA from you!
Are there any objects in space that you are worried about?
How worried is everyone about the asteroid that might hit in 2032?
Do you think there is a form of sentence in rock? I think the layering and latticework of rock’s connectedness creates a web across the universe and all rocks are of one influence and mind.
Hi, how big would a spaceship have to be to deflect a humanity ending meteor?
If a meteor is deflected is it no longer called a meteor?
You ever come across something you couldn’t quite explain?
Is it possible that a race of aliens has created a way to hurl asteroids across the galaxy, and they win a prize if they hit Earth and cause an extinction-level impact?
What size does an asteroid need to be in order to make humans go extinct? How many of these sized objects would have a realistic chance of hitting Earth?
What are your thoughts on the potential new planet we have lurking out there in the deep solar system that has recently hit the news?
Hi Nancy, how did you get into Astronomy/Planetary Science? Who were your greatest influences?
It’s sometimes said that comets etc. heading towards Earth from the direction of the sun risk being spotted too late. What could be done to mitigate this (telescope positioned in an orbit to see “behind” the sun etc.)?
How fast will the news spread of a “life ending” asteroid towards earth? Are there any protocols you have to follow if something like that ever happened?
Considering the chance of an asteroid making direct contact with Earth… would there be different strategies for preventing this, maybe based on size, incoming velocity or other factors? For the larger bodies, do (theoretically at least) effective strategies exist?
Thank goodness that someone is working on this. I worry about this even though almost all very high-threat asteroids are catalogued and known about at the moment. All it takes is one to slip through the cracks if we aren’t vigilant and then we become yet another data point supporting the Fermi Paradox….
Hi there.
Id love to ask…
So, ignoring cost considerations, what’s the most audacious or bonkers telescope or probe (or whatever) idea that you’d love to see built in your area of expertise?
Would u rather live on Mars colony or Moon colony.
Could there be any celestial bodies that are made up entirely of gold or platinum?
How long, approximately did it take for the moon to form? Thanks!
What’s the strangest shaped rocky object you’ve discovered?
I don’t wanna ask nothing, but I love that people like you exist, and I thank you for your work and passion <3
Hi Nancy, what is your opinion on planet 9? Do you think it exists? Will it be made of the same stuff as other Kuiper Belt objects?
When a big one is going to hit, are they gonna tell us the truth?