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Earth's 'Second Moon' Set To Disappear, Won't Return Until 2055
The space visitor is about 33 feet wide, which might sound scary - but Nasa notes that it "does not pose a hazard to Earth".
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Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: What Makes Each Celestial Object Unique
NASA planetary scientists explain that asteroids, comets, and meteors all orbit the Sun but differ greatly in their composition, appearance, and behaviour. These objects play unique roles in understanding the solar system’s formation and evolution.
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Massive 'God Of Chaos' Asteroid Set For Close Approach To Earth, May Trigger Astroquakes
Scheduled to pass by Earth on April 13, 2029, Apophis is a massive "city-killer"
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An Asteroid Burned Up Over California Just Hours After Being Spotted
On October 22, 2024, asteroid 2024 UQ was detected just hours before entering Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, near California. The ATLAS survey detected it shortly before impact, but delayed tracking data prevented immediate monitoring. The European Space Agency’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre later confirmed the asteroid's e...
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Apophis Asteroid Flyby in 2029: Earth's Gravitational May Impact Asteroid's Surface
Asteroid 99942 Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, is set to pass incredibly close to Earth in 2029, at just 32,000 km. While there is no risk of a collision, scientists are keen to study the asteroid’s interaction with Earth's gravity. Research led by planetary scientist Ronald Ballouz suggests that this flyby may cause si...
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Asteroid Strikes Earth Hours After Detection, 3rd 'Imminent Impactor' Of 2024
The asteroid was first observed on October 22 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey in Hawaii.
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Asteroid Apophis Could Experience Surface Changes Due to Earth’s Gravity During 2029 Flyby
The asteroid Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass extremely close to Earth in 2029, potentially causing seismic activity and landslides on its surface due to Earth's gravity. These changes could alter Apophis’ surface, providing a rare opportunity to observe asteroid dynamics in real-time. A team from Johns Hopki...
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NASA’s 15-Year-Old NEOWISE Spacecraft Re-Enters Earth's Atmosphere After 15 Years in Space
NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft, originally launched as WISE in 2009, has ended its mission after nearly 15 years in operation. It successfully identified around 3,000 near-Earth objects and contributed significant data to the scientific community. NEOWISE's demise was attributed to the current solar maximum, leading to its atmospheric re-entry. As NEOWI...
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Earth’s Temporary Second Moon 2024 PT5 Bids Farewell as It Exits Orbit
On 29 September 2024, Earth briefly welcomed asteroid 2024 PT5 as a second moon. Discovered by NASA's ATLAS, this small asteroid will exit Earth's orbit by mid-November 2024. Its fleeting presence offers astronomers valuable insights into tracking mini-moons and potential asteroid threats. As scientists explore these transient companions, they unco...
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Asteroid Bennu Examines Potential Fifth Force and Dark Matter Connection
Research on asteroid Bennu reveals no evidence of a potential fifth force that could explain dark matter. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission tracked Bennu’s orbit with exceptional accuracy, allowing scientists to examine for subtle deviations. This study provides insight into the unknown forces in the universe and suggests that further investigation of ...
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Phosphorus Grains in Ryugu Samples Offer Insights into Earth’s Early Life Chemistry
Scientists have discovered phosphorus-rich grains in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. These grains, thought to have come from the outer Solar System, may have interacted with early Earth’s water, releasing essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This interaction could have played a role in th...
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Research Reveals Three Young Asteroid Families as Main Sources of Earth’s Meteorites
A recent study reveals that three asteroid families—the Karin, Koronis, and Massalia—are responsible for around 70% of the meteorites that land on Earth. These families, formed from past collisions in the main asteroid belt, have a higher number of fragments due to their relatively young age. The findings shed light on the origins of meteorites...
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New Mini-Moon 2024 PT5: A Major Step Towards Space Mining Opportunities
The newly discovered mini-moon, 2024 PT5, entered Earth's orbit on September 29, 2024, and will remain until November 25. This small asteroid, measuring around 10 metres, provides a unique opportunity for researchers to study near-Earth objects and explore the viability of space mining. Experts believe that asteroids contain precious metals, which ...
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Major Meteorite Discoveries Reveal Origins From Three Asteroid Families
An international research team has revealed that 70% of known meteorite falls originate from just three young asteroid families: Karin, Koronis, and Massalia. These families were formed by collisions in the main asteroid belt approximately 5.8, 7.5, and 40 million years ago. The Massalia family alone accounts for 37% of meteorites. This significant...
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Taurid Meteor Stream Unlikely to Contain Dangerous Asteroids, New Study Suggests
A recent study led by Quanzhi Ye, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, reveals that the Taurid Meteoroid Complex, a debris stream linked to past Earth impacts, poses less danger than previously thought. Ye's team found fewer large asteroids in the stream, reducing the risk of a catastrophic collision with Earth. While these findings offer r...
-
Earth's 'Second Moon' Set To Disappear, Won't Return Until 2055
The space visitor is about 33 feet wide, which might sound scary - but Nasa notes that it "does not pose a hazard to Earth".
-
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: What Makes Each Celestial Object Unique
NASA planetary scientists explain that asteroids, comets, and meteors all orbit the Sun but differ greatly in their composition, appearance, and behaviour. These objects play unique roles in understanding the solar system’s formation and evolution.
-
Massive 'God Of Chaos' Asteroid Set For Close Approach To Earth, May Trigger Astroquakes
Scheduled to pass by Earth on April 13, 2029, Apophis is a massive "city-killer"
-
An Asteroid Burned Up Over California Just Hours After Being Spotted
On October 22, 2024, asteroid 2024 UQ was detected just hours before entering Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, near California. The ATLAS survey detected it shortly before impact, but delayed tracking data prevented immediate monitoring. The European Space Agency’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre later confirmed the asteroid's e...
-
Apophis Asteroid Flyby in 2029: Earth's Gravitational May Impact Asteroid's Surface
Asteroid 99942 Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, is set to pass incredibly close to Earth in 2029, at just 32,000 km. While there is no risk of a collision, scientists are keen to study the asteroid’s interaction with Earth's gravity. Research led by planetary scientist Ronald Ballouz suggests that this flyby may cause si...
-
Asteroid Strikes Earth Hours After Detection, 3rd 'Imminent Impactor' Of 2024
The asteroid was first observed on October 22 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey in Hawaii.
-
Asteroid Apophis Could Experience Surface Changes Due to Earth’s Gravity During 2029 Flyby
The asteroid Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass extremely close to Earth in 2029, potentially causing seismic activity and landslides on its surface due to Earth's gravity. These changes could alter Apophis’ surface, providing a rare opportunity to observe asteroid dynamics in real-time. A team from Johns Hopki...
-
NASA’s 15-Year-Old NEOWISE Spacecraft Re-Enters Earth's Atmosphere After 15 Years in Space
NASA's NEOWISE spacecraft, originally launched as WISE in 2009, has ended its mission after nearly 15 years in operation. It successfully identified around 3,000 near-Earth objects and contributed significant data to the scientific community. NEOWISE's demise was attributed to the current solar maximum, leading to its atmospheric re-entry. As NEOWI...
-
Earth’s Temporary Second Moon 2024 PT5 Bids Farewell as It Exits Orbit
On 29 September 2024, Earth briefly welcomed asteroid 2024 PT5 as a second moon. Discovered by NASA's ATLAS, this small asteroid will exit Earth's orbit by mid-November 2024. Its fleeting presence offers astronomers valuable insights into tracking mini-moons and potential asteroid threats. As scientists explore these transient companions, they unco...
-
Asteroid Bennu Examines Potential Fifth Force and Dark Matter Connection
Research on asteroid Bennu reveals no evidence of a potential fifth force that could explain dark matter. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission tracked Bennu’s orbit with exceptional accuracy, allowing scientists to examine for subtle deviations. This study provides insight into the unknown forces in the universe and suggests that further investigation of ...
-
Phosphorus Grains in Ryugu Samples Offer Insights into Earth’s Early Life Chemistry
Scientists have discovered phosphorus-rich grains in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. These grains, thought to have come from the outer Solar System, may have interacted with early Earth’s water, releasing essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This interaction could have played a role in th...
-
Research Reveals Three Young Asteroid Families as Main Sources of Earth’s Meteorites
A recent study reveals that three asteroid families—the Karin, Koronis, and Massalia—are responsible for around 70% of the meteorites that land on Earth. These families, formed from past collisions in the main asteroid belt, have a higher number of fragments due to their relatively young age. The findings shed light on the origins of meteorites...
-
New Mini-Moon 2024 PT5: A Major Step Towards Space Mining Opportunities
The newly discovered mini-moon, 2024 PT5, entered Earth's orbit on September 29, 2024, and will remain until November 25. This small asteroid, measuring around 10 metres, provides a unique opportunity for researchers to study near-Earth objects and explore the viability of space mining. Experts believe that asteroids contain precious metals, which ...
-
Major Meteorite Discoveries Reveal Origins From Three Asteroid Families
An international research team has revealed that 70% of known meteorite falls originate from just three young asteroid families: Karin, Koronis, and Massalia. These families were formed by collisions in the main asteroid belt approximately 5.8, 7.5, and 40 million years ago. The Massalia family alone accounts for 37% of meteorites. This significant...
-
Taurid Meteor Stream Unlikely to Contain Dangerous Asteroids, New Study Suggests
A recent study led by Quanzhi Ye, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, reveals that the Taurid Meteoroid Complex, a debris stream linked to past Earth impacts, poses less danger than previously thought. Ye's team found fewer large asteroids in the stream, reducing the risk of a catastrophic collision with Earth. While these findings offer r...
