Re: Impact Scenario/New Ref.

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.ATTGIS.COM>]

 From: Willa25743@aol.com
 > 
 > In Steel's opinion, the Tunguska event of 1908 is directly linked to the 
 > twice-annual Taurid Complex of meteor showers associated with Comet Encke. He
 > believes an ice-coated stony cometary fragment exploded above 
 > Siberia, as described in impacting models only recently proposed.

Only recently proposed?  The idea that the Tsunguska blast was an
exploding comet or cometary fragment has been around for at least
10 years.  In fact I have long been convinced that this is the
only viable explanation, all other alternatives failing to explain
all the facts.

Now, as to whether it was a fragment of Encke or an otherwise unknown
independent comet is a different issue.  What evidence does he present
to support this idea?
 > 
 > Moreover, he suggests that about 5,000 years ago the Taurids burst into a 
 > period of meteor storms and Tunguska-like explosions that inspired the 
 > building of Stonehenge(!) and the pyramids of Egypt.

This seems unlikely to me.  Pyramid building in Egypt developed
gradually, over a period of a hundred years or more.  And the designs
used changed over time, from the earlier step pyramids to the larger
"classical" pyramids, to late, cheap imitations.

swf@elsegundoca.attgis.com              sarima@netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.