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Two Massive Asteroids To Fly Past Earth Today, NASA Confirms
Although the space agency has confirmed no imminent danger, the close encounters highlight the importance of vigilant asteroid tracking.
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Geminid Meteor Shower To Light Up The Sky This Weekend - Don't Miss The Peak
The Geminids meteor shower, originating from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, is set to peak between December 13 and 14, showcasing up to 120 meteors per hour under optimal conditions.
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Two Airplane-Sized Asteroids Flying Past Earth At Alarming Speed Today
Space enthusiasts are in for a major cosmic event on Friday as NASA said that two aeroplane-sized asteroids -- 2024 XW15 and 2024 XC16 -- are all set to fly past Earth.
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Asteroid Detected Hours Before Earth Impact, Creates Fireball Over Siberia
On December 3, 2024, a small asteroid, C0WEPC5, measuring about 27 inches in diameter, was detected just hours before entering Earth's atmosphere. The asteroid disintegrated harmlessly over Siberia, creating a bright fireball. This marked the fourth "imminent impactor" event of the year, with three others recorded over Berlin, Hawaii, and the Phili...
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Video: Asteroid Burns Like "Fireball" After Entering Atmosphere Above Russia
A speedy descent of a small asteroid lit up the sky in Russia's remote far eastern region of Yakutia early on Wednesday, as it burned out after entering the Earth's atmosphere.
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Can We Defend Earth from Asteroids? Here's What You Need to Know
Efforts to protect Earth from asteroid impacts have made significant strides, notably with NASA’s DART mission, which successfully altered the orbit of the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in 2022. This achievement marked a key advancement in planetary defence, demonstrating that asteroid deflection is a viable strategy. However, the success of DART al...
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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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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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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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Hera Spacecraft Embarks on Mission to Study Asteroid Redirected by NASA in 2022
The Hera spacecraft has successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, embarking on an international mission to study the asteroid Dimorphos, which was altered in course by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) in 2022. Expected to reach its target by December 2026, Hera will examine the impact crater left by the DART mission and deploy two ...
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Dwarf Planet Ceres Once Hosted a Muddy Ocean Below Its Icy Surface
Recent research indicates that Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, likely harboured a muddy ocean beneath its icy crust. Advanced computer simulations suggest that its surface features and gravity measurements point to a past rich in ice. With its proximity to Earth, Ceres presents a promising target for further exploration, making it t...
-
Two Massive Asteroids To Fly Past Earth Today, NASA Confirms
Although the space agency has confirmed no imminent danger, the close encounters highlight the importance of vigilant asteroid tracking.
-
Geminid Meteor Shower To Light Up The Sky This Weekend - Don't Miss The Peak
The Geminids meteor shower, originating from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, is set to peak between December 13 and 14, showcasing up to 120 meteors per hour under optimal conditions.
-
Two Airplane-Sized Asteroids Flying Past Earth At Alarming Speed Today
Space enthusiasts are in for a major cosmic event on Friday as NASA said that two aeroplane-sized asteroids -- 2024 XW15 and 2024 XC16 -- are all set to fly past Earth.
-
Asteroid Detected Hours Before Earth Impact, Creates Fireball Over Siberia
On December 3, 2024, a small asteroid, C0WEPC5, measuring about 27 inches in diameter, was detected just hours before entering Earth's atmosphere. The asteroid disintegrated harmlessly over Siberia, creating a bright fireball. This marked the fourth "imminent impactor" event of the year, with three others recorded over Berlin, Hawaii, and the Phili...
-
Video: Asteroid Burns Like "Fireball" After Entering Atmosphere Above Russia
A speedy descent of a small asteroid lit up the sky in Russia's remote far eastern region of Yakutia early on Wednesday, as it burned out after entering the Earth's atmosphere.
-
Can We Defend Earth from Asteroids? Here's What You Need to Know
Efforts to protect Earth from asteroid impacts have made significant strides, notably with NASA’s DART mission, which successfully altered the orbit of the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in 2022. This achievement marked a key advancement in planetary defence, demonstrating that asteroid deflection is a viable strategy. However, the success of DART al...
-
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.
-
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...
-
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 ...
-
Hera Spacecraft Embarks on Mission to Study Asteroid Redirected by NASA in 2022
The Hera spacecraft has successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, embarking on an international mission to study the asteroid Dimorphos, which was altered in course by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) in 2022. Expected to reach its target by December 2026, Hera will examine the impact crater left by the DART mission and deploy two ...
-
Dwarf Planet Ceres Once Hosted a Muddy Ocean Below Its Icy Surface
Recent research indicates that Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, likely harboured a muddy ocean beneath its icy crust. Advanced computer simulations suggest that its surface features and gravity measurements point to a past rich in ice. With its proximity to Earth, Ceres presents a promising target for further exploration, making it t...
