ASTEROIDS

Fayola should be here today, but she isn't and therefore, she left me hanging. If we get a bad grade on this web page, then it will be Fayola's fault. Shame on you Fayola!!! Just kidding! Ok, today is now the 23rd of July, and Fayola is still not here and I am getting quite agitated with her back to back absences. If we get a bad grade on this web page, then I think I am just gonna scream. It will be all your fault, Fayola. You will have this on your conscience. NEWS BRIEF!!!! Mr. Drennon has just informed me that he is giving us until the 24th of July (tomorrow) to finish this web page. Boy are you lucky! Fayola, you do know that all of the preceding message is just plain BS. You know that I don't care about Mr. Drennon's class. I just hope that you feel better and get well quick because I kind of feel a bit lonely sitting at this computer all by myself. N-E-Ways, I miss you,Ok. Come back soon. Sincerly, Naima.

Now your search on asteroid information has began.

About 70% of species living on Earth, disappeared by the K-T Event, which many scientists believed it occured by a large asteroid or comet impact on the Earth. Besides other geological disturbances that such an impact can generate, scientist believe that debris was thrown into the atmosphere creating extended periods of darkness, low temperatures, and acid rains. Asteroids are rocky bodies in space that can be about several hundred feet wide. They are left over ingredients from the formation of the universe. The "belt" of asteroids follow a somewhat elliptical path which orbits the sun with the planets. The force and the strength of gravity can pull them off track. Such as Mars's moons, Phobos and Deimos are said to be asteroids that came to orbit the red planet. Many scientist started the chain of events that led to the extinction of dinosaurs on Earth in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. In 1990, many scientist, such as Alan Hilderbrand, believed that a 65 million year old, 112 mile wide structure under layers of sediment in the Yucatan Peninsula region of Mexico, is an impact crater from an asteroid that is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

A Specific Look in Asteroid Activity on Earth

On November 29, 1996, Earth came pretty close to the asteroid Toutatis. It is known as Earth- crossing asteroid 4179. It appeared faint in Earth's sky. Studies of Toutatis and other Earth-crossing asteroids help reveal connections between the solar systems's meteorites, main-belt asteroids, and comets. These wayward asteroids also offer tantalizing targets for robotic exploraton and, over time, represent potential hazards for planet Earth!

Information on Our Neighboring Red Planet

Mars, the red planet named for the Roman god of war, has two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, whose names are derived from Greek meaning " Fear and Panic". The Martian moons may well be captured asteroids originating in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter or perhaps from even more distant reaches of the solar system. But one of the moons is doomed. Sad but true, Phobos orbits too close to Mars and the gravitational tidal forces are dragging it down. In 100 million years, it could crash into the surface or be shattered by stress, forming a debris ring around Mars.

Some More Friendly Suggestions

If you want to learn more facts about asteroids, you should go and see the movie Armageddon, if you haven't already. In my (Naima) opinion, that was a great movie. It gives a lot of factual information on asteroids and their inevitable destruction on a life-containing planet.

To all the visitors of this site who are students, and are looking for information for a project, essay, term paper, etc. "I feel your pain!"

FAYOLA DELICA	NAIMA HYPPOLITE	NATHANIEL OSBORNE