A Question About Mars Rocks

[Fred Steeves]

Scientists are confirming a recent and rare invasion from Mars: meteorite chunks from the red planet that fell in Morocco last July.



Astronomers think millions of years ago something big smashed into Mars and sent rocks hurtling through the solar system. After a long journey through space, one of those rocks plunged through Earth's atmosphere, splitting into smaller pieces.

Questions: 1) If something struck Mars with such force that it sent hunks of the planet out into space, wouldn't there be a pretty obvious crater that we already have mapped out? Why would astronomers have to "think" something happened? 2) Even if the force was great enough to make pieces of the planet go so far as to leave the atmosphere, wouldn't they atleast stay trapped in orbit, rather than go hurtling off into space?



Because known Martian meteorite falls happen only once every 50 years or so - 1815 in France, 1865 in India, 1911 in Egypt and 1962 in Nigeria - this is a once-in-a-career or even one-in-a-lifetime event.

So, either they could confirm Martian meteorites as far back as 1815, or NASA has a crew that travels the world, examining every meteorite in collections?

I fully realize that there are likely very simple answers to these questions from those better versed in science, and I would appreciate hearing them.

Thanks,
Fred

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57360117/confirmed-martian-rocks-landed-in-morocco/

[markpierre]

Scientists are confirming a recent and rare invasion from Mars: meteorite chunks from the red planet that fell in Morocco last July.



Astronomers think millions of years ago something big smashed into Mars and sent rocks hurtling through the solar system. After a long journey through space, one of those rocks plunged through Earth's atmosphere, splitting into smaller pieces.

Questions: 1) If something struck Mars with such force that it sent hunks of the planet out into space, wouldn't there be a pretty obvious crater that we already have mapped out? Why would astronomers have to "think" something happened? 2) Even if the force was great enough to make pieces of the planet go so far as to leave the atmosphere, wouldn't they atleast stay trapped in orbit, rather than go hurtling off into space?



Because known Martian meteorite falls happen only once every 50 years or so - 1815 in France, 1865 in India, 1911 in Egypt and 1962 in Nigeria - this is a once-in-a-career or even one-in-a-lifetime event.

So, either they could confirm Martian meteorites as far back as 1815, or NASA has a crew that travels the world, examining every meteorite in collections?

I fully realize that there are likely very simple answers to these questions from those better versed in science, and I would appreciate hearing them.

Thanks,
Fred

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57360117/confirmed-martian-rocks-landed-in-morocco/

I wonder if someone somewhere in the vast tracks of space, will someday find my glasses.

Not predicting an event, just a 'what if?'.

It just depends on the velocity doesn't it? A big a$$ monster rock hitting Mars would be pretty violent. The bigger the bangier.
Some of that stuff would be out of sight instantaneously. It doesn't take that much thrust for a rocket to just keep going does it?

[Spiral]

I find this "Mars" rock thing a bit odd, never mind that there is a question about a massive crater etc etc, considering the vastness of space it seems nothing short of amazing that of the limited amount of material flung into space, pieces should land on Earth in such quantity as to be even found at all. (they are usually only found in deserts, for obvious reasons).

Isn't it more likely that they are from a planet that no longer exists ?

[Ernie Nemeth]

I like this kind of thing because the answers unify our notions about our solar system and the universe.

The reason Mars rocks hit Earth at regular intervals is because Earth was involved in that long ago impact. As was Venus and what remains of a destroyed planet we call the asteroid belt.

That's what I like about cosmology, the inter-relatededness of it all. We spin about our sun and our orbit reflects our past. Therefore any catastrophes or close encounters with other heavenly bodies leave traces in our orbit and rotation. There is your explanation of the wobble of our planet among other oddities in our solar system. For example Venus rotates the opposite direction of all other planets. Another is Uranus' highly inclined rotation. Mars is a very strange planet, full of anomolies I won't go into, not the least of which is its two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos (too lazy to look up spelling).

The question everyone is still trying to answer is, "Where's the smoking gun?" - that is the reason for the search for a "twelfth planet" or "planet X".

[sdv]

Scientists are confirming a recent and rare invasion from Mars: meteorite chunks from the red planet that fell in Morocco last July.



Astronomers think millions of years ago something big smashed into Mars and sent rocks hurtling through the solar system. After a long journey through space, one of those rocks plunged through Earth's atmosphere, splitting into smaller pieces.

Questions: 1) If something struck Mars with such force that it sent hunks of the planet out into space, wouldn't there be a pretty obvious crater that we already have mapped out? Why would astronomers have to "think" something happened? 2) Even if the force was great enough to make pieces of the planet go so far as to leave the atmosphere, wouldn't they atleast stay trapped in orbit, rather than go hurtling off into space?



Because known Martian meteorite falls happen only once every 50 years or so - 1815 in France, 1865 in India, 1911 in Egypt and 1962 in Nigeria - this is a once-in-a-career or even one-in-a-lifetime event.

So, either they could confirm Martian meteorites as far back as 1815, or NASA has a crew that travels the world, examining every meteorite in collections?

I fully realize that there are likely very simple answers to these questions from those better versed in science, and I would appreciate hearing them.

Thanks,
Fred

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57360117/confirmed-martian-rocks-landed-in-morocco/

This is how science is supposed to work: a scientist notices a phenomena and proposes a hypothesis to explain that phenomena and then tests that hypothesis. Other scientists evaluate and test the hypothesis, and everyone seeks to find evidence that is compelling enough and verifiable so that the hypothesis can be accepted as likely to be true or unlikely to be true. It's a fascinating mind game, with the added bonus of adventure and exploration and creative thinking. (Apologies for my simplistic explanation of true science and the beauty of the hypothesis.)

However, we live in an age of instant gratification, fame and fortune and so the beauty of science has become corrupted.

Your questions are the ones that true scientists should be asking, and any hypothesis that is presented without a compelling arguement and a test should be regarded as wild speculation. Is the scientist or the media to blame that this appears to be the case in this situation?

[ghostrider]

I find this "Mars" rock thing a bit odd, never mind that there is a question about a massive crater etc etc, considering the vastness of space it seems nothing short of amazing that of the limited amount of material flung into space, pieces should land on Earth in such quantity as to be even found at all. (they are usually only found in deserts, for obvious reasons).

Isn't it more likely that they are from a planet that no longer exists ?

there was a planet called maltek or something close to that, it was destroyed in the great space war...