There’s a lot of debris in our solar system, and every so often we get to see it — meteors streaking against a starry sky, a bright comet or a passing asteroid. And sometimes, Earth temporarily grabs hold of one of these asteroids and keeps it around a little bit longer. That’s what’s happening later this … Read more
Earth is set to gain a new mini-moon for a brief period, starting later this month. The small asteroid, identified as 2024 PT5, will be temporarily captured by Earth’s gravity from September 29 until November 25, according to a study published by researchers Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos from … Read more
In a cosmic drama unfolding before our eyes, the asteroid 99942 Apophis, dubbed the “God of Chaos” for its menacing potential, is making headlines once more. As Earth prepares for an unprecedented celestial rendezvous in 2029, Nasa’s latest revelations promise to keep our eyes on the skies.Apophis: From cosmic threat to scientific marvelDiscovered in 2004 … Read more
Video circulating online shows a small asteroid named 2024 RW1, measuring approximately 1 meter in size, disintegrated harmlessly in Earth‘s atmosphere on Wednesday, as per Nasa reports. The asteroid, discovered by astronomers in Arizona, broke apart over the coast of the Philippines just hours after its detection.This space rock is only the ninth to have … Read more
An asteroid impacted Earth today, but it didn’t do any damage. The asteroid in question was known as 2024 RW1. It was first detected early on September 4, 2024, just hours before it slammed into the Earth. The asteroid burned up in the atmosphere just east of the Phillippines, according to New Scientist. While it … Read more
In the aftermath of Nasa’s Double Asteroids Redirect Test (DART) mission, space debris totaling over two million pounds has been created, raising the possibility of a long-lasting meteor shower. The unprecedented event follows the DART spacecraft’s deliberate collision with the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in September 2022, aimed at testing Earth’s planetary defense system.DART mission and … Read more
Nasa’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) has concluded its mission, marking the end of a journey spanned over a decade. The telescope, which began as the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), captured its final image of the Fornax constellation in Southern California, a snapshot that is more than just a beautiful view, according … Read more
Nasa has alerted the public about an asteroid named 2024 KN1 that will make a close approach to Earth on June 23, 2024, at 18:09 UTC (11:39 PM IST). This asteroid, part of the Amor group, is approximately 88 feet in size and will travel at a speed of about 16,500 kilometers per hour. While … Read more
BENGALURU: The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, Friday said that the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an asteroid after renowned Indian astrophysicist Prof Jayant Murthy in recognition of his pioneering work in ultraviolet astronomy and space missions.The asteroid, previously known as “2005 EX296”, has now been designated as “(215884) Jayantmurthy” by the IAU’s … Read more
NEW DELHI: The enthralling narrative of Nasa‘s billion-dollar mission to Bennu, aimed at preventing a potential asteroid collision, is meticulously chronicled in Dante Lauretta‘s book, “The Asteroid Hunter: A Scientist’s Journey to the Dawn of our Solar System.” Lauretta, a prominent figure in the field and the principal investigator of the mission, offers a first-hand … Read more
