sniff talks to the professor

From Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson:

“But how do you know that the Observatory is on that peak especially?” asked Sniff, craning his neck to see the top, but without success as it was hidden in the clouds.
“Well,” answered Snufkin, “you only have to look at the ground just here. It’s covered with cigarette ends which have obviously been thrown out of the windows by those absent-minded scientists up there.”

“According to my reckoning it should hit the earth on the seventh of October at 8.42 p.m. Possibly four seconds later,” said the professor.
“And what will happen then?” asked Sniff.
“What will happen?” said the professor in surprise. “Well, I hadn’t thought about that. But I shall record the events in great detail you may be sure.”