Eleanor Helin

NASA says as many as four asteroids passed Earth yesterday, with the biggest of them being nearly 140 feet wide, which is comparable to an aircraft in size. These close approaches by Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) like asteroids serve as a reminder of the constant threat posed by celestial objects and why it is crucial to monitor their trajectories. Using its advanced space and ground-based telescopes, NASA has revealed that another asteroid is expected to fly past Earth tomorrow, March 22. Know all about this close encounter.

To discover, track and monitor asteroids, NASA has several tech marvels in place. The NEOWISE telescope, Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), Pans-STARRS1, and Catalina Sky Survey are some of the space and ground-based telescopes and satellites which the space agency uses. Since there is a historical precedent of asteroids impacting Earth and causing cataclysmic damage, it is imperative that we keep an eye on them for any potential impact scenarios. NASA has now revealed that two asteroids will pass Earth by a close margin today, April 4.

In the last few days, we've seen numerous asteroids come close to Earth. Just yesterday, as many as four space rocks passed the planet by a close margin. Although none of them impacted the surface, their close approaches are a reminder of the need to constantly monitor these asteroids for potential impact scenarios. This job falls to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies or CNEOS, an organization that keeps an eye on Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) such as asteroids and comets. With the help of its advanced tech, NASA says an aircraft-sized asteroid is expected to pass by Earth today, March 20. Know all about this close encounter.

The last 3 days have been rare, with no asteroid passing by Earth. However, that trend is set to break as NASA has shed light on as many as four asteroids that are set to fly past Earth tomorrow, March 8. The space agency further clarified that while these asteroids will come close to Earth, none of them are expected to impact the planet and pose a danger to life or property. That said, their close approaches serve as a reminder of the threat posed by these space rocks and the need to continuously monitor them in their orbits. Check out the details of the upcoming asteroid approaches below.

A pair of asteroids have been spotted travelling Earthwards in their orbit by NASA. The US Space Agency issued an alert that both of these space rocks have been designated as Near-Earth Asteroids, and will pass the planet by close margins. These close approaches follow the continuing trend of asteroid flybys in recent months. From size and speed to distance of close approach, know all about these asteroids.

NASA says that the orbits of asteroids can be changed by Jupiter's massive gravity and by occasional close encounters with planets like Mars or other objects. These accidental encounters can knock asteroids out of the main belt and hurl them into space in all directions across the orbits of the other planets. One such occurrence is set to take place today, February 23, as one asteroid is expected to pass by Earth. Know the details of this close encounter.

Did you know that not all asteroids have the same composition? According to NASA, the three primary classifications of asteroids are C-type, S-type, and M-type. C-type asteroids, which are composed primarily of carbon-rich substances, are the most frequent. S-type asteroids, which are made up mainly of silicate minerals, are less common. M-type asteroids, which are primarily composed of metal, are the least prevalent. One asteroid, whose composition is still unknown, is set to pass Earth today, January 18. Know all about this close encounter.

Asteroid today: You may think asteroids are simply floating rocks in space but they can also present a danger to Earth. Due to close calls with asteroids, NASA, ESA, and other space agencies have developed technology to track these space rocks in their orbits, and even deflect them in case a potential impact scenario develops. Using its tech, NASA has now shed light on an asteroid that is expected to pass Earth today, January 2. Know all about the close approach by this Asteroid today.

Due to the constant barrage of asteroids, NASA and other space agencies developed an arsenal of space and ground-based telescopes to discover and track these ancient space rocks. Now, the US space agency, with the help of its advanced ground and space-based telescopes, has shed light on a colossal asteroid that is expected to pass Earth by a close margin today, December 20. The asteroid's orbit will bring it very close to Earth, and this is known as a “Close Approach”, as per NASA. Know the details of the upcoming close encounter of the Earth with this Empire State Building-sized asteroid.

With its vast number of ground and space-based telescopes and observatories, NASA has discovered as many as 1298148 to date, and one of them is predicted to pass Earth by a close margin today, November 16. NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) has designated this space rock as Asteroid 2023 VL5. During its flyby, it will come as close as 3.2 million kilometers from the planet's surface. Know all about this close encounter with Asteroid 2023 VL5.

Using its various advanced ground and space-based telescopes such as the NEOWISE telescope, Pans-STARRS1 and Catalina Sky Survey, NASA has shed light on an asteroid that is expected to pass Earth by a close margin today, November 14. It is just one of the 298148 asteroids that have been discovered to date. According to the space agency, the asteroid, given the designation Asteroid 2023 VR4, is travelling in its orbit at a breakneck speed of 37902 kilometers per hour. From size to distance of approach, know all about this close encounter with Asteroid 2023 VR4.

With the help of its advanced ground and space-based telescopes, NASA has tracked an asteroid whose orbit will bring it very close to Earth today. The orbits of these asteroids, which are also known as ancient space rocks, often bring them very close to Earth, and this is known as a ‘close approach'. As per the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), an asteroid, given the designation of Asteroid 2023 VT3, is on its way and could make its closest approach to Earth today, November 10.

NASA maintains a vigilant eye on the cosmos to track, monitor, and study each and every asteroid in space that comes near Earth. This crucial endeavor involves a combination of space telescopes and ground-based observatories, including the renowned Hubble Space Telescope. As of now, there are 1,298,210 known asteroids that have been checked. While there are no immediate threats from asteroids to Earth, but they can still wreak havoc in the future. Therefore, tracking them is the only solution to avoid any calamities. Recently, NASA has revealed an asteroid, set to pass by Earth. It is designated as the asteroid 2023 TC7. Read on to know more about this asteroid approaching close to the Earth:

To discover, monitor and study asteroids in space, NASA has several space telescopes and ground-based observatories in place. These include the famous Hubble Space Telescope and the new James Webb Space Telescope. Moreover, spacecraft such as Dawn, OSIRIS-REx, and Hayabusa2 have also helped in studying these ancient space rocks. As of now, there are 1,298,210 known asteroids in space and while not all of them are dangerous, some of them can get knocked off their orbit due to interaction with a planet's gravitational field such as Jupiter, and head towards Earth for potential impact. Therefore, to remove the uncertainties around the asteroid's approach, it is imperative that we track them.

To study asteroids up close, NASA and other space agencies have launched several space missions. The purpose of these missions is to study asteroids, minimize any uncertainties around their dangers, and determine whether we could extract resources from them in the future. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was conducted last year where a spacecraft successfully collided with an asteroid to divert it from its path. Other missions include Dawn, OSIRIS-REx, and Hayabusa2.

Asteroids are a small, but inseparable part of our solar system, but they possess a massive potential for destruction. Therefore, NASA is on a continuous mission to track asteroids and study them in order to take preventive measures in case the threat is serious. NASA actively monitors asteroids to safeguard Earth and enhance our understanding of their paths as they hold many secrets. When NASA's telescopes detect a new Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), the agency's astronomers gather observational data and share it with the Minor Planet Center. Subsequently, the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) utilizes this information to compute the asteroid's probable orbit around the Sun. To monitor asteroids, NASA astronomers have developed a next-generation impact monitoring algorithm called Sentry-II in order to evaluate NEA impact probabilities efficiently.

Asteroids are a constantly looming threat to the Earth. NASA actively monitors asteroids to safeguard the planet from potential threats. Their telescopes track newly discovered Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) by recording their positions in the sky, which are then reported to the Minor Planet Center. Subsequently, the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) utilizes this data to calculate the most likely orbit of the asteroid around the Sun. To assess the possibility of an impact and refine the asteroid's true orbit, NASA employs the Sentry program, which employs a unique algorithm. Sentry randomly selects points within the entire region of uncertainty, allowing it to focus even on extremely improbable impact scenarios. The same process was undertaken for the latest asteroid that has come racing by.

Most asteroids are made up of carbon-rich substances, silicate materials or metals. But did you know about one space rock that is made of Earth's rarest metals? The asteroid, known as 16 Psyche, is made up of gold, nickel, and iron deposits. According to NASA, it could be worth more than the world's economy put together! Other than its gold-rich structure, the outer surface of this asteroid is nickel-rich which resembles an early planet's core. It is worth nearly $10 quadrillion, and this is why NASA has planned a mission to this asteroid to study its composition.

Are you aware that there are various space objects existing in our solar system that can be a potential threat to Earth? Asteroids are the most worrisome of them all. Asteroids are the space rocks that orbit around the Sun. Because of their erratic orbits, they can threaten Earth. That is why the monitoring and tracking of asteroids that stray near Earth is extremely important. NASA tracks and monitors asteroids in order to prevent any potential danger to Earth. Whenever NASA's telescopes observe a new Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), astronomers measure its positions in the sky and report them to the Minor Planet Center.

Over the past few years, the advance in scientific research has shed light on dinosaurs, and how these mammoth creatures went extinct. The theory, known as the Alvarez hypothesis, claims that an asteroid struck Earth nearly 65 million years ago and wiped out entire species of dinosaurs. This theory is backed by some proof too as scientists have also discovered its impact crater, known as the Chicxulub crater, buried under the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. As per the hypothesis, the impact of the asteroid would have caused the formation of huge tidal waves and an impact crater almost 140 km wide. Land material would have splattered into space, changing the Earth into a nuclear winter-like environment and ultimately, it would lead to the demise of dinosaurs and many other species.

Asteroids are space rocks mostly present in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Since these bodies are so far, how do NASA and other space agencies track them? Sometimes, interaction with a planet's gravitational field knocks these asteroids off their trajectories and sends them towards a planet like Earth for potential impact. When NASA's telescopes track a new Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), astronomers measure the asteroid's observed positions in the sky and report them to the Minor Planet Center. The Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) then uses that data to determine the asteroid's most likely orbit around the Sun, according to NASA.

NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office is responsible for monitoring the skies and keeping a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). The organization has issued a warning against an asteroid designated as Asteroid 2023 OD5. It is just one of the 1,298,148 asteroids that have been discovered to date with the help of NASA's advanced ground and space-based telescopes and satellites and it will be making a close approach to Earth soon.

The 16 Psyche asteroid has been one of the most shocking discoveries in recent years. One of the biggest asteroids in our solar system, 16 Psyche is made up of gold, nickel, and iron deposits. According to NASA, this asteroid could be worth more than the whole Earth's economy put together. It is worth a staggering $10 quadrillion! To study it up close, NASA is in the final stages of preparation for its Psyche Mission where the spacecraft will go on a momentous 4 billion kilometer journey to reach the asteroid. With the launch scheduled for October 5, Psyche spacecraft is in the final stages of preparation for liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida