#tidal force

Content tagged "tidal force".

2 items (2 articles, 0 stories)

When a Comet Falls Apart: The Science of Breakup and What It Tells Us

May 21, 2026

Why do comets shatter? This piece breaks down three mechanisms — tidal disruption, thermal explosion, and spin-up — and explores what the spectacular crash of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 revealed about our solar system.

Our Solar System Family #comet#solar system#tidal force#meteor shower#Shoemaker-Levy 9

Earth Will Deform Apophis — The 375-Meter Rock That 2 Billion People Will Watch

May 13, 2026

On April 13, 2029, asteroid Apophis will skim past Earth at just 32,000 km — closer than geostationary satellites. During this once-in-10,000-year flyby, Earth's gravity will physically reshape the rock in real time. ESA and JAXA's Ramses mission will be there to document it.

Our Solar System Family #Apophis#asteroid#Earth flyby#Ramses#ESA#JAXA#planetary defense#tidal force