Q: Is the Earth in danger of being hit by a meteor in 2012?
November 26, 2012
A collage shows nine radar images of near-Earth asteroid 2007 PA8 that were obtained between Oct. 31 and Nov. 13, 2012, with data collected by NASA's 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif.
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A: The Earth has always been subject to impacts by comets and asteroids, although big hits are very rare. The last big impact was 65 million years ago, and that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Today NASA astronomers are carrying out a survey called the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near-Earth asteroids long before they hit. We have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs. All this work is done openly with the discoveries posted every day on the NASA Near-Earth Object Program Office website, so you can see for yourself that nothing is predicted to hit in 2012.Nine Radar Images of Asteroid 2007 PA8
November 26, 2012
A collage shows nine radar images of near-Earth asteroid 2007 PA8 that were obtained between Oct. 31 and Nov. 13, 2012, with data collected by NASA's 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif.
Full Story
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NASA Survey Counts Potentially Hazardous Asteroids
May 16, 2012 Observations from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to the best assessment yet of our solar system's population of potentially hazardous asteroids. The results reveal new information about their total numbers, origins and the possible dangers they may pose. Full Story |
New Website Tool Now Available For Identifying Mission-Accessible Near-Earth Asteroids
and Their Next Observing Opportunities
March 20, 2012 Observers, mission planners, and other interested users are invited to use a new website tool to view a list of near-Earth asteroids that are among the most accessible for future robotic or human space flight round-trip rendezvous missions Full Story |
Near-Earth Asteroid 2012 DA14 to Miss Earth on February 15, 2013
March 6, 2012 Asteroid 2012 DA14 will pass within about 3.5 Earth radii of the Earth's surface on February 15, 2013. Although its size is not well determined, this near-Earth asteroid is thought to be about 45 meters in diameter. Asteroid 2012 DA14 will pass inside the Earth's geosynchronous orbital ring, located about 35,800 kilometers above the equator. Full Story |
Asteroid 2011 AG5 - A Reality Check
February 28, 2012 Asteroid 2011 AG5 has been receiving a lot of attention lately because of a very unlikely scenario which would place it on an Earth-interception course 28 years from now. Full Story |
NASA Captures New Images of Asteroid 2005 YU55 Passing Earth
November 7,8 & 11, 2011 NASA's Deep Space Network antenna in Goldstone, Calif. has captured new radar images of Asteroid 2005 YU55 passing close to Earth. The asteroid safely will fly past our planet slightly closer than the moon's orbit on Nov. 8. Scientists have also generated a short movie clip of asteroid 2005 YU55 See Asteroid Images See Asteroid Movie See Updated Asteroid Movie |
NASA in Final Preparations for Nov. 8 Asteroid Flyby
October 26, 2011 NASA scientists will be tracking asteroid 2005 YU55 with antennas of the agency's Deep Space Network at Goldstone, Calif., as the space rock safely flies past Earth slightly closer than the moon's orbit on Nov. 8. Scientists are treating the flyby of the 1,300-foot-wide (400-meter) asteroid as a science target of opportunity - allowing instruments on "spacecraft Earth" to scan it during the close pass. Full Story |
NASA Says Comet Elenin Gone and Should Be Forgotten
October 25, 2011 Comet Elenin is no more. Latest indications are this relatively small comet has broken into even smaller, even less significant, chunks of dust and ice. This trail of piffling particles will remain on the same path as the original comet, completing its unexceptional swing through the inner solar system this fall. Full Story |
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