Potentially Hazardous Asteroid to pass Earth today! Know details

Did you know that you can see the asteroid sample collected by NASA up close? The NASA OSIRIS-REx spacecraft recently concluded a historic mission that involved landing on an asteroid, taking rock and dust samples, and delivering them back to Earth. Although NASA had initially run into trouble while opening the sample capsule, it has now obtained them, and a part of it has even been put up on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC! So, go ahead and view the historic samples yourself if you live nearby!

This week's solar storm prediction models claimed that today, November 4, is likely to be the worst affected by solar activities. The prediction will likely come true as three separate coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are headed for the Earth. The first two of them are slightly off-target but the forecast says it can deliver glancing blows to the planet. But things can quickly change if they combine to form a cannibal CME. The third one is the riskiest, which is directly headed for the Earth. Overall, there is a chance that we may see a G2-class storm later today.

An asteroid struck Earth this year! No, this isn't the plot of a Roland Emmerich science-fiction but reality. Although it wasn't a planet killer that wiped out entire species like another space rock wiped out the dinosaurs about 65 million years ago, it did impact the surface, alerting citizens who lived nearby. As per NASA, an asteroid turned into an atmospheric fireball on February 15 and crashed near McAllen, Texas. Law enforcement agencies in the McAllen region received several calls from residents who reported hearing a loud explosion. It was a 1000-pound rock that was 2 feet in diameter as it broke into pieces about 21 miles above Earth's surface.

As those who’ve played it will tell you, Rollerdrome was one of 2022’s most refreshingly enjoyable releases, delivering a unique and adrenaline-fueled blend of rollerskating and third person shooting, and soon, the game will be opening the gates for more players to dive into its offerings. Having launched for PS5, PS4, and PC in August last year, soon, the game will also be making its way to Xbox.

There have been several close calls with asteroids in history. But 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 rare asteroid has recently piqued the interest of scientists as it is reportedly made of gold, silver and nickel deposits!

NASA keeps a regular check on the Asteroids passing close to the Earth. Asteroids have posed a potential threat to Earth for millions of years now. That is why it is extremely important that we prepare for all eventualities. Stopping an asteroid is impossible at the last moment, but we can take preventative measures and that is why space agencies like NASA keep a watch on all asteroids approaching Earth. In a journey to track asteroids, NASA has successfully executed the DART mission where it was able to divert an asteroid from its path. Now, NASA has tracked a gigantic asteroid traveling close to Earth. Check out the details below:

According to NASA, an asteroid, given the designation of Asteroid 2023 UV6, is on its way towards Earth and will pass the planet at a close distance today, October 27. The asteroid was discovered by NASA's Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), which is responsible for monitoring the skies and keeping a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). Asteroid 2023 UV6 is expected to pass the planet at a distance of 3.9 million kilometers while travelling at a speed of 26329 kilometers per hour, as per the space agency. Here's all about Asteroid 2023 UV6.

has been a big success for Bethesda and Microsoft. Not only was it thebest-selling game in the US for September, but it’s also been a significant boon for Game Pass. According to Microsoft, the day of Starfield’s launch set a record for the highest number of new Game Pass subscribers.

NASA tracks asteroids using a combination of ground-based and space-based telescopes. The NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), scans the night sky for moving objects and reports any potential asteroid detections, while some space-based observatories use infrared sensors to detect asteroids and their characteristics. Some of these include the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and the NEOWISE mission. Using these advanced instruments, the space agency has revealed information about a 1200-foot Potentially Hazardous Asteroid that is set to pass Earth today. Know all about it.

The intensity of the Sun's activity has been rising in the last few months, and it is expected to increase even more as we approach the solar maximum. During this period, solar activity is at its peak, resulting in more solar flares, CMEs, solar storms and geomagnetic storms. All these solar phenomena hold the potential to cause damage on Earth. Technological instruments are especially at risk during these events, resulting in power blackouts and even disruption of radio communication.

Do you know how many asteroids NASA scientists have tracked to date? Approximately 1,298,148 asteroids have been identified by NASA. The space agency employs a range of advanced ground and space-based telescopes for tracking and researching these cosmic rocks, primarily concentrated within the asteroid belt situated between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Telescopes and observatories such as NEOWISE, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), Pan-STARRS1, and the Catalina Sky Survey play pivotal roles in the study of asteroids and the mitigation of uncertainties surrounding their close encounters with Earth.

For years, it has been known that the most likely cause of the extinction of dinosaurs was an asteroid impact. The most common theory behind the extinction is the Alvarez hypothesis, which 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. Lland material would have splattered into space, changing the Earth into a nuclear winter-like environment, ultimately leading to the demise of dinosaurs.