Paint It Gone

Hey there! Wonderful to see you today. Hope you are having a good one. Me? I'm stiff as all get out from moving but expect to get back to my normal pain level anytime between a week and forever. Meanwhile a good mug of coffee and an asteroid-sized virtual muffin offers a pleasant diversion. Can I pour you a mug? Help yourself to the virtual treats.  Did I chance to mention 'asteroid' before? Well segue into today's topic...

If an asteroid is ever on a collision course with Earth, it is feasible that the planet could be saved by firing paintballs at it, according to an MIT graduate student whose detailed plan won this year's prize in a United Nations space council competition, announced in October.

White paint powder, landing strategically on the asteroid, would initially bump it a bit, but in addition would facilitate the sun's photons bouncing off the solid white surface. Over a period of years, the bounce energy would divert the body even farther off course.

The already identified asteroid Apophis, which measures 1,500 feet in diameter and is projected to approach Earth in 2029, would require five tons of paintball ammo. [MIT press release, 10-26-2012]

And just who is going to fire five tons of paint at a fast approaching asteroid? May as well fling limp spaghetti at it. Hey...I'm not kidding here... if you fire five tons of spaghetti and meatballs at Apophis which is probably travelling towards us at a kazillion miles per hour, just the weight of the meatballs should be enough to nudge it off course a little...not to mention the weight of the tasty spaghetti and tomato sauce, eh! Sure, you may think it's a silly idea...for example, how are we going to get the Spagbol (Australian for Spaghetti Bolognese) up to where we have to slingshot it at the asteroid? Minor detail.

Remember. too, that even if we divert Apophis in 2029, it is scheduled to come back even closer and possibly on a collision course in 2036 (probably looking for dessert after enjoying a feed of Spagbol in '29, eh). Not to worry...I've already got my research assistant working on a Tiramasu Torpedo!

See ya, eh!

Bob