Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 08-23-2011 07:09 PM               

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The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recorded a 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered in Virginia — the second most powerful earthquake in the state's recorded history — which was felt up and down the east coast of the United States from Atlanta, Georgia to Maine.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (in Greenbelt, Maryland) project manager Bill Buckingham reported the following on Facebook.

Imagine seeing this Delta rocket swaying back and forth like a twig in a breeze. That was my view after I darted out the back door of the NASA Goddard Visitor Center during our 5.9 earthquake this afternoon.

The nearby Nike rocket was also dancing.

I managed a quick run through the building to evacuate it and get myself out in time to see almost everything in our Rocket Garden swaying. The Visitor Center building was moving both vertically and horizontally.

It was fascinating. Got to love those plate tectonics! And yes, we closed early today.

According to employees' tweets, NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC was also briefly evacuated.

The Smithsonian — including the National Air and Space Museum — closed for the remainder the day because of an earthquake.

Posts: 1205
From: Shady Side, Md
Registered: Sep 2004

Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010

Posts: 1179
From: Canada
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 08-23-2011 08:17 PM               

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Each mild earthquake makes me ponder the fact that solid-object collections of fragile objects on shelves or curios are notoriously at risk -- especially thin, vertical presentations. I shiver when I imagine someone's plate collections, for instance.

That's why I always think of that when I build the support for such an object, for it to be earthquake-resistant (which also makes it resistant to shuffling induced by cleaning-up, etc.)

Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006

Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010

posted 08-23-2011 09:45 PM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by ilbasso:
Perhaps it survived the earthquake only to be drenched in the upcoming hurricane!

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I'm thinking along those lines as well. Luckily all of my stuff is either securely packed away in padded boxes which are in larger boxes which are put in a safe place, or in slip-covers that are in binders which are between shelves, or they are firmly in the walls on screws that are anchored into the walls. As a precaution, I may move some of my stuff.

Posts: 1336
From:
Registered: Aug 2002

posted 08-23-2011 10:46 PM               

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I was mowing the lawn on my John Deere at the time and knew nothing of the earthquake until several hours later.

I hope all my cS friends are safe now and will be safe from Irene.

Posts: 1586
From: Bethpage, N.Y.
Registered: Jul 2002

Posts: 31
From: Reston, VA, USA
Registered: Jun 2010

Posts: 782
From:
Registered: Mar 2009

Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007

posted 08-24-2011 01:10 PM               

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quote:

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Originally posted by gleopold:
I noticed all the bars here in Reston were full by 4 p.m., so it was good for the local economy....

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Ha! I went grocery shopping last night, and it seemed as if everyone over 21 was buying wine or beer. Aftershock stress reliever!

It was quite strong in a small townhouse about 70 miles from the epicenter. I didn't think for an instant "large truck right out on the street." I thought "nuclear bomb."

On a collecting note, I have a variety of models and other delicate items, but with a three-year-old in the house I pretty much always assume every day they are in danger of being shaken and store them securely.

Posts: 1031
From: New Jersey, USA
Registered: Mar 2010

Posts: 818
From: Huntington Beach, Calif.
Registered: Aug 2004

posted 08-24-2011 04:52 PM               

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Not to diminish your earthquake experience, but having lived close to the epicenters of a 6.7, 6.9, 6.9, 7.5, 6.5, 6.1 and many hundreds of 4.0 - 5.9 earthquakes, my thoughts are with you guys.

I don't display anything important anymore, after losing thousands of dollars of antique crystal in the Northridge earthquake, when a china cabinet fell over face down.

To this day when I hear or feel rumbling, even from a passing truck, I get into survival mode and start moving to my son.

Scott, maybe you can ask a few of your buddies in the USN, about a high pitched frequency sound, that came across the SOSUS net 6 hours before the 9.0 Indonesian earthquake.

Posts: 867
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011