Latest news with #DavideFarnocchia
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA says a plane-sized asteroid will pass Earth next week. Here's what to know.
A plane-sized asteroid scheduled to pass Earth next week is making headlines, but NASA experts want the public to understand why this encounter is more routine than remarkable. The asteroid is named 2025 OW and measures approximately 210 feet in length, according to NASA. It is set to pass Earth on July 28 at a distance of approximately 393,000 miles -- about 1.6 times the average distance to the Moon, according to the space agency. While it's traveling at an impressive speed of 46,908 miles per hour, NASA scientists emphasize this is normal and nothing to lose sleep over. "This is very routine," Ian J. O'Neill, media relations specialist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), told ABC News. "If there was a threat, you would hear from us. We would always put out alerts on our planetary defense blog." MORE: Axiom private space mission could be glimpse of the future as ISS retirement looms Davide Farnocchia, an asteroid expert at NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), explains that space rocks passing by Earth are just business as usual in our solar system. "Close approaches happen all the time -- it's just part of the fabric of the solar system," Farnocchia told ABC News. His team usually tracks several asteroids passing Earth each week -- as of Tuesday, they're watching five for next week alone. While 2025 OW is large enough to be of interest to NASA scientists, its well-understood orbit means it poses no danger. "We know exactly where it's going to be. We'll probably know where it's going to be for the next 100 years," O'Neill said. MORE: Chance of asteroid striking Earth in the next decade rises to 3.1%, NASA says For space enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of 2025 OW, Farnocchia indicates it won't be visible with binoculars. However, he points to a more exciting upcoming event: the 2029 approach of asteroid Apophis. "Apophis will come within 38,000 kilometers of Earth in April 2029 -- closer than our geostationary satellites," Farnocchia said. Approximately 1,115 feet in length, and due to its exceptionally close approach, Apophis will be visible to the naked eye, offering a rare opportunity for public observation of an asteroid. Both Farnocchia and O'Neill emphasize that while Earth is struck by roughly 100 tons of space material daily, most of this is harmless dust. Larger, potentially hazardous impacts are extremely rare. "For an object the size of 2025 OW, while close approaches might happen yearly, an actual Earth impact would only occur roughly every 10,000 years," Farnocchia notes. NASA continues to monitor near-Earth objects through its planetary defense programs, maintaining public transparency about any potential risks while emphasizing that most asteroid headlines are more sensational than concerning.
Mint
04-07-2025
- Science
- Mint
Interstellar Intruder: NASA discovers rare comet from outside our solar system
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has discovered a rare interstellar comet. It has been officially named 3I/ATLAS. Comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1 and spotted by a Chile-based survey telescope named ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System). According to Reuters, astronomers are tracking a newly spotted comet hailing from parts "unknown". "It came from outside our solar system and right now, it's inside the orbit of Jupiter, and it is headed for its closes pass to the sun at the end of October," said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer with NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS). NASA said that the comet originated from interstellar space (space between the stars) and is arriving from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius. The comet is currently located about 420 million miles (670 million kilometers) away. It is journeying at a speed of around 37 miles (60 km) per second from the direction of the center of the Milky Way galaxy. "It was first detected as a speck of light moving relative to background stars," Davide Farnocchia said. "It's gonna pass, visit us, and then on its way out and leave the solar system in the future," he added. Watch this video to understand more: Astronomers said its unusual trajectory indicated it had ventured from beyond our solar system. "This rare visitor from beyond our solar system was spotted this week, and the global astronomy community is racing to collect more data," NASA JPL wrote in an Instagram post. The spotting of Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third time such an interstellar object has been observed visiting our solar system. The only other such interstellar visitors previously observed by astronomers were objects called 1I/'Oumuamua (pronounced oh-MOO-uh-MOO-uh), detected in 2017, and 2I/Borisov, discovered in 2019. NASA said the comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 1.6 astronomical units (about 150 million miles or 240 million km). The comet, 3I/ATLAS, will, however, reach its closest approach to the Sun around October 30, at a distance of 1.4 au (about 130 million miles or 210 million km) — just inside the orbit of Mars. While NASA JPL refused to comment on the comet, University of Hawaii astronomer Larry Denneau said on Thursday, "The comet has some similarities to 2I/Borisov in that it appears to be an icy comet." Denneau, co-principal investigator for ATLAS, noted that the comet 'is much larger, possibly 10 km (6.2 miles) in diameter.' Larry Denneau said comet 3I/ATLAS currently has a faint coma, referring to the cloud of gas and dust surrounding a comet's nucleus. "But the coma and tail may increase dramatically as the object comes closer to the sun," he was quoted by Reuters as saying. This is a golden opportunity for astronomers to study a pristine object from another star system. NASA's Davide Farnocchia said, "We're really excited about these objects," while mentioning that so far, "we've discovered three interstellar objects. "So it's a rare opportunity, and as a scientific community, we want to collect as much data as possible to characterise these objects and learn as much as we can," he said. Meanwhile, Denneau said, "Its closest approach to the sun will be later this year, when it will come inside the orbit of Mars. We don't know what will happen, so that's exciting."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The chances of an asteroid hitting Earth in 2032 have changed. But what's the risk, really?
The chances that an asteroid, known as 2024 YR4, could hit Earth in seven years have fluctuated recently, but experts aren't preparing for the worst yet. At the end of 2024, a NASA-funded telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, first spotted 2024 YR4 and a month later scientists concluded there was a more than 1% chance the asteroid would crash into Earth in December 2032. When scientists first reported their findings in January, they expected the asteroid's future trajectory and impact probability to change as observational data was collected and analyzed. That's exactly what happened. On Tuesday, astronomers reported that 2024 YR4's probability of colliding with Earth increased to approximately 3%, which is unusual for a small asteroid that is only 130 to 300 feet wide. By Wednesday, that impact assessment dropped to 1.5%. "But the impact probability remains small, so people should not really be too concerned about that," said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Center for Near Earth Object Studies. Yes, there are scientific reasons why the impact probability change can increase suddenly. But the probability can also drop suddenly. Initially you might have a small probability of impact because "you cannot rule out the possible collision with Earth, [but] at some point the probability will go to zero," Farnocchia said. When an asteroid is identified, scientists cannot pinpoint its exact future location, but instead can gather data to predict its location within a range. If that range overlaps with Earth, that's when there's a chance of collision, reported NASA Spaceflight. With more observational data, astronomer's predictions of the asteroid's trajectory and future location become more precise. The current range for the trajectory of 2024 YR4 — based on hundreds of collected observations — is still being assessed, so the range is large and currently overlaps with Earth. That's why we're seeing an increased percentage of possible impact. As astronomers continue to collect data, the range could shrink so much that it no longer overlaps with Earth, and the chances of 2024 YR4 hitting our planet will become zero. The current trajectory of 2024 YR4 is almost a straight line away from Earth, and astronomers will continue to collect observational data until it is out of sight. They have until early April to track the asteroid's possible collision course and future location. You can follow along with astronomers' published findings on the Sentry webpage. In the unlikely event that the asteroid's trajectory connects with Earth, its point of impact would be somewhere along a 'risk corridor' that extends across the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arabian Sea and South Asia, according to the International Asteroid Warning Network. Yes, astronomers point to asteroid 99942 Apophis, 1,099 feet wide and first identified in 2004. According to NASA officials, at the time of its initial sighting, Apophis was one of the most hazardous asteroids in the sky, with the threat of barreling toward Earth in 2029. During early assessments of impact risk, Apophis reached a rating of Torino Scale 4, which is a scale for categorizing potential Earth impact events. The 0-to-10 scale ranges from no hazard (Torino Scale 0), to normal (Torino Scale 1), to meriting attention by astronomers (Torino Scale 2 through 4), threatening (Torino Scale 5 through 7) to a certain collision (Torino Scale 8 through 10). Upon gathering further observational data and assessment, scientists ruled out the impact probability for Apophis, for now, with a small chance of impact in 2068 declared unlikely. As for 2024 YR4, it's currently categorized as a Torino 3. It is uncommon for an asteroid to be rated at Torino Scale 3, because that categorization only happens for asteroids that are larger than 65 feet with an impact probability of 1% or greater. Even if this asteroid hits Earth, it could burn up in the atmosphere and become a much smaller meteorite before it lands. Slightly larger asteroids may make it through the atmosphere but often crash at locations that cause minimal or no immediate damage, according to the United States Geological Survey. Many meteorites end up in the ocean or in open areas. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
19-02-2025
- Science
- Los Angeles Times
The chances of an asteroid hitting Earth in 2032 have changed. But what's the risk, really?
The chances that an asteroid, known as 2024 YR4, could hit Earth in seven years have fluctuated recently, but experts aren't preparing for the worst yet. At the end of 2024, a NASA-funded telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, first spotted 2024 YR4 and a month later scientists concluded there was a more than 1% chance the asteroid would crash into Earth in December 2032. When scientists first reported their findings in January, they expected the asteroid's future trajectory and impact probability to change as observational data was collected and analyzed. That's exactly what happened. On Tuesday, astronomers reported that 2024 YR4's probability of colliding with Earth increased to approximately 3%, which is unusual for a small asteroid that is only 130 to 300 feet wide. By Wednesday, that impact assessment dropped to 1.5%. 'But the impact probability remains small, so people should not really be too concerned about that,' said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Center for Near Earth Object Studies. Yes, there are scientific reasons why the impact probability change can increase suddenly. But the probability can also drop suddenly. Initially you might have a small probability of impact because 'you cannot rule out the possible collision with Earth, [but] at some point the probability will go to zero,' Farnocchia said. When an asteroid is identified, scientists cannot pinpoint its exact future location, but instead can gather data to predict its location within a range. If that range overlaps with Earth, that's when there's a chance of collision, reported NASA Spaceflight. With more observational data, astronomer's predictions of the asteroid's trajectory and future location become more precise. The current range for the trajectory of 2024 YR4 — based on hundreds of collected observations — is still being assessed, so the range is large and currently overlaps with Earth. That's why we're seeing an increased percentage of possible impact. As astronomers continue to collect data, the range could shrink so much that it no longer overlaps with Earth, and the chances of 2024 YR4 hitting our planet will become zero. The current trajectory of 2024 YR4 is almost a straight line away from Earth, and astronomers will continue to collect observational data until it is out of sight. They have until early April to track the asteroid's possible collision course and future location. You can follow along with astronomers' published findings on the Sentry webpage. In the unlikely event that the asteroid's trajectory connects with Earth, its point of impact would be somewhere along a 'risk corridor' that extends across the eastern Pacific Ocean, northern South America, the Atlantic Ocean, the Arabian Sea and South Asia, according to the International Asteroid Warning Network. Yes, astronomers point to asteroid 99942 Apophis, 1,099 feet wide and first identified in 2004. According to NASA officials, at the time of its initial sighting, Apophis was one of the most hazardous asteroids in the sky, with the threat of barreling toward Earth in 2029. During early assessments of impact risk, Apophis reached a rating of Torino Scale 4, which is a scale for categorizing potential Earth impact events. The 0-to-10 scale ranges from no hazard (Torino Scale 0), to normal (Torino Scale 1), to meriting attention by astronomers (Torino Scale 2 through 4), threatening (Torino Scale 5 through 7) to a certain collision (Torino Scale 8 through 10). Upon gathering further observational data and assessment, scientists ruled out the impact probability for Apophis, for now, with a small chance of impact in 2068 declared unlikely. As for 2024 YR4, it's currently categorized as a Torino 3. It is uncommon for an asteroid to be rated at Torino Scale 3, because that categorization only happens for asteroids that are larger than 65 feet with an impact probability of 1% or greater. Even if this asteroid hits Earth, it could burn up in the atmosphere and become a much smaller meteorite before it lands. Slightly larger asteroids may make it through the atmosphere but often crash at locations that cause minimal or no immediate damage, according to the United States Geological Survey. Many meteorites end up in the ocean or in open areas.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Asteroid 2024 YR4 could hit Earth in 7 years. Here's what could happen — and what's being done about it
Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. A recently discovered asteroid, named 2024 YR4, has a 2.8% to 3.1% chance of hitting Earth in 2032, according to NASA and the European Space Agency. While the odds of an impact are slim, astronomers are closely tracking the space rock to uncover more details — a process that could soon involve the most powerful observatory ever launched into space. Not much is known about 2024 YR4, but the asteroid is estimated to be 131 to 295 feet (40 to 90 meters) wide, a 'size range comparable to that of a large building,' said Dr. Paul Chodas, manager for the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, or CNEOS, at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. That's not even close to the size of the 'planet-killer' asteroid that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago and led to the extinction of dinosaurs. That one was estimated to be about 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) in diameter and marked the last known large asteroid to hit our world. Planet killer asteroids are space rocks that are 1 kilometer across or larger and could have a devastating effect on life. But smaller asteroids can cause regional devastation if they are determined to be on a collision course with Earth, which is why astronomers need to find out as much as possible — as soon as possible — about 2024 YR4. Acquiring more data, like refining the space rock's trajectory, may reduce the odds of a direct hit to zero. But astronomers only have a certain amount of time to observe the asteroid before it fades from view in April. Now, they're planning to turn the powerful eye of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2024 YR4's direction with the hopes of pinning down the space rock's size and orbit. The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS, telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile, first discovered 2024 YR4 on December 27. The telescope is one of the asteroid discovery programs funded by NASA to scan the sky in search of near-Earth asteroids, said Davide Farnocchia, navigation engineer at JPL and CNEOS, via email. The size estimate of the asteroid has changed very little since then, despite multiple observations using an array of telescopes, because the space rock can only be studied using the amount of sunlight it reflects. The amount of light reflected by the asteroid's surface is used to estimate how big it is. However, the Webb telescope, slated to begin observations of 2024 YR4 in early March, sees the universe in infrared light. Webb will be able to measure the heat reflected by the asteroid and provide a much more accurate size estimate, according to a Nature study published in December. Since early January, astronomers have used the Magdalena Ridge Observatory in New Mexico, the Danish Telescope and the Very Large Telescope in Chile to track the asteroid, which is currently more than 30 million miles (48 million kilometers) from Earth and moving farther away over time, Farnocchia said. The celestial object should be visible through early April and disappear as it continues its orbit around the sun. Observatories in Hawaii are also actively tracking the asteroid. The Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, or Pan-STARRS, located on the Haleakalā volcano in Maui, is the world's leading near-Earth object discovery telescope. Capable of spotting asteroids when they're distant from Earth, Pan-STARRS is currently part of the effort to follow 2024 YR4's movements. 'Hawaiʻi's telescopes are some of the most important tools for planetary defense,' said Doug Simons, director at the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy, in a statement. 'Thanks to our prime location and advanced technology, we can spot, track, and study asteroids with incredible accuracy. That gives scientists the time they need to evaluate potential threats and figure out the best ways to respond.' Webb will still be able to observe 2024 YR4 once the asteroid is beyond the viewing capabilities of Earth-based telescopes, providing measurements of the asteroid's position, according to the European Space Agency. After the initial observations in March, a second observation campaign has been planned for May. Scientists will use that data to provide the final measurements of the asteroid's orbit, as well as how its temperature has changed as it moves farther from the sun. If 2024 YR4 disappears from view before space agencies can rule out any chance of impact, the space rock will remain on the risk list until it is back in view in June 2028. Current estimates of the asteroid's orbit suggest it returns to Earth's vicinity every four years, but it won't pose a threat in 2028, according to the University of Hawaii. Understanding the exact size of the asteroid can help astronomers to estimate the risks if 2024 YR4 is determined to be on a future collision course with Earth. 'If the asteroid turns out to be on the large end of its estimated size range, the impact could produce blast damage as far as 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the impact site,' Chodas said. 'But that's in the unlikely event that it might impact at all. The potential for damage arises because of the incredibly high speed (about 17 kilometers per second, or 38,028 miles per hour) at which the asteroid would enter the atmosphere.' Asteroids of this size impact Earth every few thousand years, and they can cause severe damage to local regions, according to the ESA. In 1908, a 30-meter-wide (98-foot-wide) asteroid struck the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in a remote Siberian forest of Russia, according to the Planetary Society. The event leveled trees and destroyed forests across 830 square miles (2,150 square kilometers). And in 2013, a 20-meter-wide (66-foot-wide) asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia. It exploded in the air, releasing 20 to 30 times more energy than that of the first atomic bomb, generating brightness greater than the sun, exuding heat, damaging more than 7,000 buildings and injuring more than 1,000 people. But if 2024 YR4 is on the larger end, the effects could be significantly worse, according to the ESA. 'If the asteroid is found to have a diameter in the (50 meter) range, and if it can be confirmed that it is a rocky asteroid, the effects would be similar to those of the Tunguska impact in 1908, where a surface area of (2,000 square kilometers) was devastated and 20 million trees were affected,' according to a document shared by the agency. 'This is equivalent to the area of a circle (25 kilometers) in diameter. If larger, the effects would extend to several tens of (kilometers).' About 3,000 new near-Earth objects are found each year, but it's been more difficult to find asteroids within the size range of 2024 YR4 because they're dark, smaller and harder to spot with telescopes. Scientists estimate that there are about 600,000 rocky objects similar in size to the asteroid, but only about 2%, or 12,000, have been found, according to the ESA. 'Tiny asteroids do hit the Earth all the time, disintegrating in the atmosphere as fireballs; fortunately small ones cause little damage on the ground,' said Larry Denneau, an astronomer at University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy and coprincipal investigator at the ATLAS telescope, in a statement. 'Larger asteroids can cause much more damage, but they impact the Earth much less frequently. There are still many large ones out there that we haven't found yet, which is why we are continuously monitoring the whole sky to ensure that we stay ahead of potential threats.'
