In a groundbreaking development, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has showcased its capabilities by identifying over 2, 000 previously unknown asteroids in just 10 hours of observation. This includes seven near-Earth asteroids, none of which pose an immediate threat to our planet. The observatory's advanced technology and rapid data processing have set a new standard fo...
Venus, our neighboring planet, might be hiding a secret. It could be harboring a group of asteroids that could potentially hit Earth. These asteroids are hard to spot because they are near the sun. They are called "city-killer" asteroids because they are big enough to cause serious damage if they hit a city. There are about 20 known asteroids that orbit the sun alon...
The solar system is filled with carbon-rich asteroids, but only a tiny fraction of these ever reach Earth's surface. This is a big problem for scientists who study space rocks. They want to understand why so few carbonaceous asteroids make it to our planet. A group of astronomers did some digging and found the answer. They looked at almost 8, 000 meteoroid impacts an...
Two space rocks are heading towards Earth. One is about the size of a car. The other is roughly the size of a large airplane. Both are expected to pass by Earth on the same day. The smaller one will zoom by in the morning. The larger one will make its appearance in the afternoon. The car-sized asteroid, labeled 2025 FM18, is estimated to be about 15 feet across...
NASA's Lucy spacecraft is gearing up for an exciting encounter with a very old space rock. This asteroid, named Donaldjohanson, has been floating around for about 150 million years. It is not just any asteroid. It is a key player in Lucy's mission to explore the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter. Lucy's main goal is to visit a group of asteroids that are stuck in Jupite...
A big surprise in the sky was a rocket blasting off. Someone near Turks and Caicos spotted it on a recent January night in 2023. The sky was full of light! She wasn't seeing stars or meteors. This was a test of SpaceX Starship to Mars. But when they tried to control the ship, it flashed and came crashing down. People watching from Texas could only guess. This was goi...
Last Thursday was quite the day for space rocks! Six asteroids zoomed past Earth, with one coming pretty close. These asteroids, from tiny to building-sized, are common in our space neighborhood. NASA keeps an eye on them to ensure they don't cause any trouble. The day started with two asteroids, 2024 TP17 and 2015 HM1, visiting in the morning. They were both about ...
This week, Earth is in for a cosmic show as several asteroids zip past our planet. One of these space rocks, named 2024 UQ1, is as big as a bus and will come within 148, 000 miles of Earth. That's closer than the moon! NASA keeps a close eye on these Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) that hang out near our orbit. While 2024 UQ1 is not a threat, it's still exciting to know it...
Did you know that Earth is about to have some close encounters with space rocks? In the next few days, five asteroids will fly by our planet. NASA is keeping a close eye on these visitors, sharing details like their size, distance, and when they'll pass by on an online dashboard. What's interesting is that October 26 will be the busiest day, with three asteroids zoo...
Imagine a tiny space rock, roughly the size of a school bus, joining Earth's orbit for a couple of months. This isn't a sci-fi movie plot, but a real-life event that's about to happen. The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will be temporarily trapped by Earth's gravity and orbit our planet for almost 57 days. Astronomers at Complutense University of Madrid discovered this m...