Another asteroid 2011 MW1 is speeding too close to earth at a speed of 28,946 km/h. NASA has issued an alert regarding this asteroid. 2011 MW1 is an Apollo-class asteroid approximately 380 feet across. According to NASA’s CNEOS data, it will be just 2.4 million miles away when it makes its closest approach to Earth. It is supposed to fly by the earth on July 25.
2011 MW1 is a giant asteroid whose orbit approaches Earth’s, but not too close. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory characterizes it as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) due to its distance from Earth, but it is not considered a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). NASA has recognized the existence of no more than 35,000 NEOs. For an asteroid to be classified as a PHA, it must be over 460 feet in size and 7.5 million kilometers from Earth’s orbit.
The size of this asteroid is roughly similar to the size of a skyscraper. Although the size may be alarming, the asteroid does not pose a threat to Earth according to NASA, while the trajectory and movement of this space rock is being closely monitored.
Asteroids, often called minor planets, are remnants of the formation of the early solar system. Unlike the planets, they are much smaller and mainly revolve around the sun. Most of these asteroids are found in the main asteroid belt, which lies between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars. As of July 2024, there are 1,385,217 known asteroids, according to JPL’s Solar System Dynamics website. These celestial bodies provide valuable insight into the conditions and processes that shaped our solar system billions of years ago.
Asteroid clock
NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is responsible for characterizing the orbits of all near-Earth objects and with the system in place predicts their approaches to earth and impact assessment. NEOs are asteroids or comets whose orbits are within 120 miles of the Sun and can therefore fly past Earth’s orbit, posing a risk.
NASA has various observatories that specifically work to collect asteroid tracking information. Some of these include – PAN-STARRS, Catalina Sky Survey, NASA’s NEOWISE mission and the new NEO Surveyor, which have offered incredibly useful information to scientists over the years. There are many planetary radar initiatives, such as the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group, that complement NASA’s NEO observation program. Along with this, space agencies are creating technologies to deal with any potential threat from celestial bodies such as the Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART) or simply the DART mission. It was the first mission dedicated to studying and demonstrating asteroid deflection by altering the asteroid’s path using a kinetic impactor. On September 26, 2022, DART successfully changed the orbit of asteroid Dymporphos. The ISS, a joint project involving NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency), serves as a space laboratory where international crews conduct research and experiments in microgravity . Did you know that NASA made the first manned moon landing on July 20, 1969 with the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to step on the moon, while Michael Collins circled up in the command module. Did you know that NASA develops advanced robotics and technologies for space exploration, including the Mars rovers, the robotic arms of the ISS. It has also launched missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope in the past.
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2011 MW1 is a giant asteroid whose orbit approaches Earth’s, but not too close. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory characterizes it as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) due to its distance from Earth, but it is not considered a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). NASA has recognized the existence of no more than 35,000 NEOs. For an asteroid to be classified as a PHA, it must be over 460 feet in size and 7.5 million kilometers from Earth’s orbit.
The size of this asteroid is roughly similar to the size of a skyscraper. Although the size may be alarming, the asteroid does not pose a threat to Earth according to NASA, while the trajectory and movement of this space rock is being closely monitored.
Asteroids, often called minor planets, are remnants of the formation of the early solar system. Unlike the planets, they are much smaller and mainly revolve around the sun. Most of these asteroids are found in the main asteroid belt, which lies between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars. As of July 2024, there are 1,385,217 known asteroids, according to JPL’s Solar System Dynamics website. These celestial bodies provide valuable insight into the conditions and processes that shaped our solar system billions of years ago.
Asteroid clock
NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) is responsible for characterizing the orbits of all near-Earth objects and with the system in place predicts their approaches to earth and impact assessment. NEOs are asteroids or comets whose orbits are within 120 miles of the Sun and can therefore fly past Earth’s orbit, posing a risk.
NASA has various observatories that specifically work to collect asteroid tracking information. Some of these include – PAN-STARRS, Catalina Sky Survey, NASA’s NEOWISE mission and the new NEO Surveyor, which have offered incredibly useful information to scientists over the years. There are many planetary radar initiatives, such as the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group, that complement NASA’s NEO observation program. Along with this, space agencies are creating technologies to deal with any potential threat from celestial bodies such as the Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART) or simply the DART mission. It was the first mission dedicated to studying and demonstrating asteroid deflection by altering the asteroid’s path using a kinetic impactor. On September 26, 2022, DART successfully changed the orbit of asteroid Dymporphos. The ISS, a joint project involving NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency), serves as a space laboratory where international crews conduct research and experiments in microgravity . Did you know that NASA made the first manned moon landing on July 20, 1969 with the Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to step on the moon, while Michael Collins circled up in the command module. Did you know that NASA develops advanced robotics and technologies for space exploration, including the Mars rovers, the robotic arms of the ISS. It has also launched missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope in the past.
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