NASA closely monitors 2300 asteroids posing potential threat to Earth
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is keeping its eye on 2,300 potentially dangerous asteroids. These celestial bodies pose a risk of colliding with Earth as they orbit the Sun.
The exact times and dates of these potential impacts have been disclosed, and astronomers have shared how to mitigate the dangers posed by these fast-moving space objects.
A small asteroid named 2024 BX1 was discovered today by NASA just a day before it was due to collide with Earth. The asteroid subsequently collided with Earth at approximately 7.40am, before exploding above German airspace. Astronomers have asserted that if a large asteroid of 10 metres or more were to collide with Earth, it would cause significant damage.
NASA was aware of the impending collision of this small asteroid less than 24 hours before it took place. The space agency has been monitoring and recording the risks of small asteroids colliding with Earth each month. These records are constantly changing. This month, several small asteroids were noted as potential threats to Earth.
On January 21 at 7.40am, an object named 2024 BX1 approached within a distance of 776 kilometres from the centre of the Earth. On the same day at 10.09pm, the object named 2024 BE1 approached within a distance of 818,079 kilometres.
Yesterday, January 22 at 10.46am, an object named 2024 BM approached within a distance of 3,032,070 kilometres. On the same day, at 1.45pm, the object named 2024 BA1 approached within a distance of 3,282,663 kilometres.
Today, January 24, at 8.18am, the object named 2024 AL6 approached at a distance of 2,093,551 kilometres, while on January 28, at 12.39am, an object named 2024 BJ is predicted to approach at a distance of 254,904 kilometres.
Wimut Wasalai, the academic sector of the Thai Astronomical Society, said that NASA is currently monitoring approximately 2,300 potentially dangerous asteroids. NASA’s astronomers are watching these small asteroids every day. However, some are only discovered the day before they pass Earth or even after they have already passed, reported KhaoSod.
“We can take some comfort in the fact that none of the asteroids we have discovered and are monitoring are on a collision course with Earth. The danger lies in the unknown. Discovering an asteroid and then colliding with Earth immediately is frightening.
“The way to prevent the danger from these fast-moving objects is to understand them as much as possible. NASA has a unit dedicated to this task. They are also looking for technology to eliminate and prevent them from approaching Earth, such as destroying them before they collide with Earth.”
