Latest news with #CNEOS
India Today
23-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Asteroid with power of 1,000 nuclear bombs to come dangerously close to Earth
Asteroid 2003 MH4, a colossal space rock measuring approximately 335 meters in diameter—about the length of three football fields—will make a close approach to Earth on May 24, through space at a staggering 14 kilometers per second, this asteroid's size and velocity have drawn intense scrutiny from the global scientific community, even though there is no immediate threat to our Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) and planetary defense teams are vigilantly tracking 2003 MH4's trajectory. The asteroid is set to pass at a distance of 6.68 million kilometers from Earth—roughly 17 times closer than the distance between the Earth and the Moon. While this might seem vast in everyday terms, astronomers consider such proximity significant, especially for an object of this 2003 MH4 is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA), a designation reserved for space objects larger than 150 meters that come within 7.5 million kilometers of status does not imply an imminent collision but highlights the necessity for ongoing monitoring, as even slight changes in an asteroid's path—caused by gravitational interactions with planets or the subtle Yarkovsky effect from solar radiation—could alter its future asteroid's composition, density, and reflective properties are also under close examination, as these characteristics can influence its orbital behaviour and potential risk 2003 MH4 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids, known for their Earth-crossing orbits, which can sometimes bring them uncomfortably close to our emphasise that while the likelihood of an impact from 2003 MH4 remains extremely low, the flyby serves as a stark reminder of the importance of planetary defense initiatives.A direct hit from an asteroid of this size could unleash energy equivalent to thousands of nuclear bombs, causing widespread devastation, fires, tsunamis, and potentially triggering a global 'impact winter'.
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Gigantic Asteroid, The Size Of Eiffel Tower, To Zoom Past Earth This Weekend: NASA
A gigantic asteroid, roughly the height of the Eiffel Tower, is heading towards Earth for what astronomers are calling a "close approach". According to NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the object, named 387746 (2003 MH4), spans 335 metres wide (approximately 1,100 feet). It will fly past our planet on May 24, Saturday, at 4:07 pm IST (10:37 UTC). The asteroid is currently travelling at a speed of 30,060 kilometres per hour. Although it won't strike us, the gigantic asteroid has raised an eyebrow among scientists. Asteroid 2003 MH4 is from the Apollo family of asteroids, which are known to cross Earth's orbital path. Due to its orbit and proximity, it is classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). Notably, PHAs are objects bigger than 140 metres and approach Earth within 7.5 million kilometres. According to NASA JPL, the asteroid will come within 6.68 million kilometres of Earth. While this may sound a long way off, in terms of space, it's close enough to be of concern. "This weekend's sighting is a warning, not a threat," noted NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), the body tasked with tracking thousands of space rocks that could pose risks. To put things in perspective, despite its considerable distance, asteroid 2003 MH4 is classified as a near-Earth object (NEO), which requires careful monitoring. NASA's continuous tracking efforts ensure that we stay informed about any potential space threats. NASA's Commitment to Monitoring Near-Earth Objects NASA, in collaboration with various space agencies, uses a sophisticated network of telescopes and advanced computing systems to keep track of near-Earth objects. While most of these NEOs remain at a safe distance from Earth, those that come within 7.5 million kilometres and are over 460 feet (140 meters) in size receive increased attention. The Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS) at NASA is dedicated to closely monitoring these space rocks, assessing any risks they might pose. This vigilant observation is crucial for understanding and preparing for any potential cosmic hazards that could affect our planet.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
NASA Tracking House-Sized Asteroids Approaching Earth Imminently
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASA is monitoring three asteroids in the vicinity of the Earth that are zipping through space at around 16,000 to 41,000 miles per hour. A bus-sized asteroid known as "2025 KH," measuring around 37 feet in diameter, soared past the Earth on Thursday morning at over 25,000 miles per hour, coming as close as within 687,000 miles from our planet, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). A larger, house-sized space rock, known as "2025 KE1," approximately 58 feet in diameter, is due to zoom past the Earth early Friday morning. The asteroid will zip by at over 41,000 miles per hour, coming within just 120,000 miles from the Earth, according to the JPL's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). The national space agency is also tracking a slightly smaller house-sized asteroid, called "2025 KC," that's around 52 feet in diameter. It is expected to fly past at over 16,000 miles per hour, reaching within 636,000 miles from planet Earth, the JPL notes. Stock image: An asteroid approaching the Earth, with an inset image showing a school bus in front of a house. Stock image: An asteroid approaching the Earth, with an inset image showing a school bus in front of a house. Getty Back in April, an asteroid known as "2024 YR4" was approximated to be around 200 feet by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. "That's just about the height of a 15-story building," Andy Rivkin, an astronomer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, noted in a NASA blog post on April 2. Earlier this year in February, data from the CNEOS indicated that the impact probability of 2024 YR4 in 2032 was at 3.1 percent, marking "the highest impact probability NASA has ever recorded for an object of this size or larger," the space agency noted at the time. Further studies that month, however, brought that asteroid's chance of Earth impact on December 22 in 2032 down to 0.004 percent. The data showed there is "no significant potential" for 2024 YR4 to "impact our planet for the next century," NASA advised in a blog post on February 24. However, there is still a "very small chance" for 2024 YR4 to impact the Moon on that date and that probability is currently 1.7 percent, NASA noted. Asteroids are small, rocky masses left over from the formation of the solar system around 4.6 billion years ago. They are found concentrated in the main asteroid belt, orbiting around the sun between the paths of Mars and Jupiter. The orbits of these space rocks bring them within 120 million miles of the sun. Most near-Earth objects (NEOs) are asteroids ranging in size from about 10 feet to almost 25 miles across. "The majority of near-Earth objects have orbits that don't bring them very close to Earth, and therefore pose no risk of impact," NASA says. However, a small portion of them, known as potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs), do require close monitoring. Measuring over 460 feet in size, PHAs have orbits that bring them as close as within 4.6 million miles of the Earth's orbit around the sun, NASA explains. Despite the number of PHAs out in our solar system, none of them are likely to hit Earth any time soon. "The 'potentially hazardous' designation simply means over many centuries and millennia the asteroid's orbit may evolve into one that has a chance of impacting Earth. We do not assess these long-term, many-century possibilities of impact," Paul Chodas, manager of the CNEOS, previously told Newsweek. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about asteroids? Let us know via science@
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA issues colossal Asteroid alert, 2003 MH4 to pass Earth this weekend: Should you worry?
A colossal asteroid , roughly the height of the Eiffel Tower, is set to pass Earth this weekend in what NASA calls a 'close encounter'. The object, named 387746 (2003 MH4), spans 335 metres wide — about the size of a 100-storey building — and will fly past our planet on 24 May at 4:07 PM IST (10:37 UTC). Although there's no threat of impact, its size and speed have triggered heightened monitoring by NASA. The asteroid is currently travelling at a blistering 30,060 km/h, fast enough to circle Earth in just over an hour. Given its orbit and proximity, it's classified as a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA). 'This weekend's sighting is a warning, not a threat,' noted NASA's Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies ( CNEOS ), the body tasked with tracking thousands of space rocks that could pose risks. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your IQ Is 140 If You Can Answer 10 Of These Questions Correctly IQ International Undo Why scientists are wary of MH4's orbit 2003 MH4 belongs to the Apollo group of asteroids , which are known to cross Earth's orbital path. Its flyby distance is 6.67 million kilometres, or roughly 17 times the distance from Earth to the Moon. That might sound distant, but astronomers consider anything within 7.5 million kilometres and larger than 140 metres worthy of close observation. The real concern lies in what might happen in the future. Objects in space, especially those in the Apollo group, don't always stay on their predicted paths. Live Events Gravitational nudges from planets — or even the Yarkovsky effect (where sunlight gradually alters an asteroid's trajectory) — can shift orbits over time. A slight redirection could potentially turn a safe pass into a collision course in the years ahead. 'If one of these rocks ever hit Earth, the destruction would be enormous,' experts warn. 'The energy released would compare to thousands of nuclear bombs.' Such an event could cause regional devastation — fires, tsunamis, seismic shockwaves — and send dust clouds into the sky, blocking sunlight and triggering a possible 'impact winter'. Planetary Defence: From tracking to action The good news? Agencies like NASA and global partners are not taking these flybys lightly. CNEOS and other observatories are constantly watching the skies. The goal is not just early detection but also to prepare response strategies. Programmes are already exploring how to deflect or disrupt incoming asteroids before they become existential threats. This flyby acts as a timely reminder. While we're safe now, space remains unpredictable. Meanwhile, 12.5-Gorilla asteroid 2025 KF also has a close call with earth. In an unrelated but equally attention-grabbing event, another asteroid — 2025 KF — flew by at a distance that was even closer to Earth on Wednesday, 21 May, at a distance of just 111,000 kilometres. That's less than a third of the distance to the Moon. Discovered only this year, the asteroid is around 23 metres wide, which is equivalent to the combined height of 12 and a half fully grown gorillas, according to a playful comparison made using World Wildlife Fund figures. Despite its small size, scientists are treating it seriously. Some asteroids are not solid rocks but 'rubble piles' — loose clusters of rock and dust held together by gravity. These can change shape and size as they pass near a planet's gravitational field. 'When a rubble pile asteroid passes by a sufficient source of gravity, the pull of gravity will cause the rubble to shift,' researchers explain. If 2025 KF were to hit Earth, it would likely create a loud airburst explosion, but not one capable of causing large-scale destruction. Still, it's a firm reminder of how dynamic and volatile our cosmic neighbourhood can be. In a world increasingly focused on artificial intelligence and geopolitics, space remains an untameable frontier. Both MH4 and 2025 KF illustrate the sheer scale of what's moving above us — from 23-metre rubble clumps to towering boulders the size of skyscrapers. Neither asteroid poses a threat today. But as scientists warn, the risk isn't what we see — it's what might change. 'Our world is secure for the time being, but the universe has its own agenda,' said a spokesperson from NASA's science division. Asteroids may not often make headlines, but they shape the long-term survival odds of our planet. And for now, we're just lucky observers in a fast-moving solar system.
Newsweek
02-05-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Asteroids the Size of Buses Approaching Earth—Here's How Close They'll Get
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASA is tracking two bus-sized asteroids in the vicinity of the Earth that are whizzing through space at some 11,000 to 24,000 miles per hour. A space rock known as "2025 HP22," measuring approximately 22 feet in diameter, is zipping past us at over 24,000 miles per hour this morning, coming as close as within 306,000 miles from the Earth, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). A slightly larger asteroid, known as "2025 JA"—measuring in at around 26 feet across—is also making a close approach today, according to the JPL's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). Traveling at over 11,000 miles per hour, 2025 JA will get within 317,000 miles of the Earth. NASA is also tracking two other asteroids near Earth today, including a larger bus-sized one called "2025 HR1" that's hurtling through space at around 14,000 miles per hour. Measuring about 42 feet in diameter, 2025 HR1 will make its closest approach at around 2.9 million miles from our planet, JPL astronomers said. A house-sized space rock known as "2025 HJ5," spanning around 48 feet across, also zoomed past Earth today at around 17,000 miles per hour, getting within 2.5 million miles of our world, according to the CNEOS. Mock up of two buses in space. Mock up of two buses in space. ISchneider / Nerthuz / Terry Papoulias/iStock / Getty Images Plus Asteroids are small, rocky masses left over from the formation of the solar system nearly 4.6 billion years ago. They're concentrated in the main asteroid belt, orbiting around the sun between the paths of Mars and Jupiter. Last month, an asteroid known as "2024 YR4" was estimated to be about 200 feet by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. "That's just about the height of a 15-story building," noted Andy Rivkin, an astronomer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, in a NASA blog post on April 2. Back in February, data from the CNEOS showed the impact probability of 2024 YR4 in 2032 was at 3.1 percent. This marked "the highest impact probability NASA has ever recorded for an object of this size or larger," the space agency noted at the time. However, further studies that month brought that asteroid's chance of Earth impact on December 22 in 2032 down to 0.004 percent. The data showed there is "no significant potential" for 2024 YR4 to "impact our planet for the next century." NASA added that "the range of possible locations the asteroid could be on Dec. 22, 2032, has moved farther away from the Earth" in a blog post on February 24. There is still a "very small chance" for 2024 YR4 to impact the Moon on that date and that probability is currently 1.7 percent, the space agency said. The orbits of asteroids bring them within 120 million miles of the sun. Most near-Earth objects (NEOs) are asteroids that range in size from about 10 feet to nearly 25 miles across. NASA notes: "The majority of near-Earth objects have orbits that don't bring them very close to Earth, and therefore pose no risk of impact." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about asteroids? Let us know via science@
