Astronomy/Asteroid Belt

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Expert: - 5/21/2009


Question
Can you give me a quote about the asteroid belt for a project I am doing for science?

Answer
Hi Bradley,
What used to be the vermin of the night sky have now become
the darlings.  We are now looking upon the asteroids for additional
raw materials...iron, nickel, and other elements....that we can
someday exploit and mine in orbit, and ship the contents back
to the Earth for our use. They also make excellent outposts for future colonization of the Solar System.  So now we think of mining
colonies and outposts as opposed to just....garbage out there.

Also, someday a long time from now, our decendents are going to
want to nudge the Earth to a more distant (higher) orbit from the sun, as the sun enters the Red Giant phase in about 2 billion years. Yes, moving the Earth can be done by our decendents, by directing
and routing a 100 mile wide asteroid to just miss the Earth once every 500 years. The small gravitational nudges will slowly move (raise) the Earth a few million miles farther from the sun, thus gaining an extra 1/2 billion years of habitable life on this planet as our star moves to the red giant phase of its life...but there is no hurry to start doing this as we have a few hundreds of millions of years before that project has to begin. They will have the
advanced technology to make sure the appropriate asteroid just misses the Earth, and doesn't collide with it.
Clear Skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA

Astronomy

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Tom Whiting

Expertise

Astronomy has been my hobby/pasttime for over 50 years.  Currently own 3 telescopes, the largest of which is a 30 inch Newtonian truss Dob that is portable.I taught Astronomy/Meteorology at the University Level for 13 years before retiring in 1995. Being retired and home most of the time, I am able to answer all questions relatively quickly, unless it's a new moon weekend with good observing conditions.  No astrology questions please, or questions about alleged UFO picture identifications.

Experience

Experience: Astronomy has been my hobby and study for over 50 years. We currently now own a 30 inch portable telescope (Updated - Pennsylvania`s largest portable telescope). It can be seen on our website at:http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting and also attend several regional starparties during the year, and have been on 5 total solar eclipse expeditions.

Organizations: President, Erie County Mobile Observers Group for over 15 years.

Publications: Wrote the "Over Erie Skies" newspaper article in our local newspaper for 11 years (1975-86).

Education: Masters Degree- Taught at the University level for 13 years. Retired 20 years -USAF Pilot - KC-135 with 180 combat missions;  Also Eagle Scout, Philmont staff 2 Yrs, Order of Arrow Lodge Chief, Ham Radio (inactive).

Awards: two discoveries: The mini-coathanger asterism in Ursa Minor (the little dipper) And the mini-ladle- another asterism in the bowl of Ursa Minor. Clients: Currently President of the ECMOG as mentioned above.

Education/Credentials
BS  Metallurgical Engineering Grove City College, PAMaster's Degree, Gannon University, Erie, PA Also retired USAF pilot, 20 years.

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