New observations show the asteroid that won't hit Earth resembles a spinning hockey puck
A team of astronomers used the Gemini South Observatory in Chile to observe asteroid 2024 YR4 in multiple wavelengths as it zoomed away from Earth in February, barely 1 1/2 months after its discovery. They created a 3D image of it based on their findings.
The nearly 200 foot (60-meter) asteroid looks more like a flat disk — or not-quite-round hockey puck — than a potato. It also has a rapid rotation rate of about once every 20 minutes.
'This find was rather unexpected since most asteroids are thought to be shaped like potatoes or toy tops rather than flat disks,' the research team lead, Bryce Bolin from Eureka Scientific said in a statement.
Scientists said it most likely originated in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and is rich in silicates.
At one point earlier this year, NASA and the European Space Agency put the odds of the asteroid striking Earth in 2032 at 3%. It's now down to virtually zero for the next century, but there's a 3.8% chance it could strike the moon instead. Even if that happens, NASA assures the moon's orbit will not be altered.
The asteroid —- which swings our way every four years — will be too far away by next week for ground telescopes to see. The Webb Space Telescope will take another look later this month or next.
Scientists consider all this good practice for when a potentially killer asteroid heads our way.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
NASA gives chilling update on the mysterious 'interstellar object' racing through our solar system - as Hubble Space Telescope provides fresh evidence on exactly how big it is
NASA has issued a chilling update on the mysterious 'interstellar object' racing through our solar system. The visitor from another star, dubbed 3I/ATLAS, was first spotted on July 1 as it reached 420 million miles from the sun. Now, the Hubble Space Telescope has captured the sharpest images ever taken of 3I/ATLAS as it makes its way into the inner solar system. These groundbreaking images reveal that 3I/ATLAS is moving at a staggering speed of 130,000 miles per hour (209,000 km/h) – making it the fastest interstellar object ever detected. Using Hubble's observations, astronomers have also been able to make a new estimate for the size of the object's icy core. Previously, scientists at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory estimated that the alien comet was roughly seven miles (11.2 km) across. We now know that 3I/ATLAS is at most 3.5 miles (5.6 km) wide and possibly as small as 1,000 feet (320 metres). However, that would still make 3I/ATLAS the largest interstellar object ever found, and up to 14 times larger than the second–biggest. Scientists and space agencies around the world are now almost certain that the object 3I/ATLAS is a comet rather than a solid piece of rock. That means it is a relatively small lump of ice, frozen gases, and dust surrounded by a large cloud of evaporating material, which grows as it approaches the heat of the sun. When objects are extremely far away, scientists estimate their size by how much light they reflect. However, astronomers weren't initially sure whether 3I/ATLAS was a very large but dull space rock or a smaller and highly reflective comet surrounded by bright gases. Now, thanks to Hubble's observations, we can see the tell–tale glow of a frozen comet and get a good estimate of its true size. Hubble's image reveals a dust plume streaming out of the sun–warmed side of the comet and the hint of a tail stretching out behind. This amount of dust loss matches what scientists find in other comets around 300 million miles from the sun. As 3I/ATLAS gets closer to the sun and becomes even warmer, the tail and dust plumes should also grow more pronounced. It will reach its closest point to the sun in late October at a distance of 130 million miles (210 million km), passing just inside the orbit of Mars. Thankfully, the object poses no threat whatsoever to Earth and will be on the opposite side of the sun during this close encounter. This is only the third time that scientists have managed to detect an object approaching from another star system, and astronomers are working hard to gather as much data as they can while it is still here. Science team leader for the Hubble observations, Dr David Jewitt, of the University of California, says: 'No one knows where the comet came from. It's like glimpsing a rifle bullet for a thousandth of a second. 'You can't project that back with any accuracy to figure out where it started on its path.' 3I/ATLAS' extreme speed relative to the sun also confirms that it has likely been travelling through the cosmos for many billions of years. As the comet passed planets, stars, and nebulae, the 'gravitational slingshot effect' added to its momentum. The longer an object spends drifting through space, the faster it will become. Previous studies have suggested that 3I/ATLAS is likely to be at least eight billion years old, making it the oldest comet ever seen. That means the comet is potentially twice as old as our 4.6 billion–year–old solar system. 3I/ATLAS follows just two other interstellar objects, 1I/'Oumuamua, which was discovered in 2017, and 2I/Borisov in 2019. However, researchers believe that recent advances in telescope technology mean we will soon start spotting more interstellar visitors. Dr Jewitt says: 'This latest interstellar tourist is one of a previously undetected population of objects bursting onto the scene that will gradually emerge. 'This is now possible because we have powerful sky survey capabilities that we didn't have before. We've crossed a threshold.' Hubble is just the first powerful space telescope lined up to observe 3I/ATLAS' journey through our stellar neighbourhood, with the James Webb Space Telescope, TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), and the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory all scheduled to make observations. 3I/ATLAS should remain visible to ground–based telescopes through September, after which it will pass too close to the Sun to observe, and is expected to reappear on the other side of the Sun by early December.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Perseid meteor shower: How to see the best ‘shooting stars' of the year this week
The annual Perseid meteor shower is set to peak this week, delivering this year's biggest display of 'shooting stars'. Taking place every August, the Perseids are renowned for the bright, fast meteors that produce long tails as they burn up in the Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 60 kilometres (37 miles) per second. This year, a full Moon on the 9 August could impact visibility of some of the smaller meteors as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak. Here's a full guide to best catch a glimpse of the Perseids this week. When does the 2025 Perseid meteor shower peak? The 2025 Perseids began to appear on 17 July and will continue until 24 August, however the best display of shooting stars will be during the peak on the night of 12-13 August. Between 60-100 meteors will appear every hour under perfect conditions, with the highest intensity taking place just after 3am on Wednesday morning. This year's Perseids display takes place during a waning gibbous Moon with around 80 per cent illumination, which could interfere with views of fainter meteors. The natural light pollution produced by the Moon means the number of Perseid meteors observable with the naked eye will likely be significantly reduced, however the brightest ones will still shine through. How to see the Perseid meteor shower The Perseid meteor shower radiates from the constellation Perseus in the north east of the night's sky. The best way for casual observers to locate the Perseus constellation is through a smartphone astronomy app, though for meteor showers just looking up should be enough to see the shooting stars. Avoiding light pollution is key, so head away from street lights to a wide open space with clear views. As the Moon continues to wane throughout the week, its light will dim and the Perseids will be easier to see. Where is the best place to watch the Perseids? The Perseid meteor shower can be seen from anywhere in the northern hemisphere, with Perseus climbing high in the night sky. Some of the shooting stars can also be seen from the Southern Hemisphere, however the radiant is lower in the sky and therefore more easily obstructed by objects on the horizon. The latest forecast from the UK Met Office suggests that large parts of the UK and Ireland will have clear skies on the night of 12-13 August. The Midlands and northern parts of England and Wales have minimal cloud cover, while most of central and eastern Ireland is also clear. What is the Perseid meteor shower? The annual Perseid meteor shower occurs when the comet Swift-Tuttle approaches the Sun, releasing a dust trail. As Earth's orbit crosses this cosmic dust, it burns up in the atmosphere to create what appear to be shooting stars that streak across the sky. The European Space Agency describes the Perseids as 'natural fireworks' that have been a regular feature of Earth's sky for millennia. 'It provides a fabulous spectacle for viewers on Earth,' the ESA said in an infographic on the phenomenon. 'The Perseid meteor shower gets its name from the constellation Perseus, from where the shooting stars seem to come.' Anyone unable to witness the Perseids this August will get another chance next year – and every year after that.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Nasa discovery ‘raise new questions' about Mars
Nasa 's Curiosity Rover has captured images of coral-like and flower-shaped rocks on Mars, estimated to be billions of years old. On 24 July, the rover sent images of a one-inch wind-eroded rock resembling a piece of coral, found in the Gale Crater, which Nasa said 'are already raising new questions about how the Martian surface was changing billions of years ago'. NASA explains these unique formations resulted from liquid water depositing hardened minerals in rock cracks as it dried up billions of years ago. The distinctive shapes are now visible due to eons of sandblasting by Martian wind, which wore away softer rock but left resistant minerals. The Curiosity Rover, which landed in 2012, continues to gather data and has found evidence of past habitable environments and potential microbial life on Mars.
