时间:2025-04-03 13:51:47 来源:网络整理编辑:熱點
It's extremely unlikely that a colossal space rock will slam into Earth in the coming centuries, and
It's extremely unlikely that a colossal space rock will slam into Earth in the coming centuries, and beyond.
NASA, however, is vigilantly watching the skies for any near-Earth objects that might threaten our planet, whether on a small, regional, or planetary scale. Asteroids, often small, regularly whizz by Earth — which in space terms still means a few million miles away. On May 27, the space agency lists a "close approach" for a 1.1-mile-wide asteroid labeled "7335 (1989 JA)." It will pass us at a distance of about 2.5 million miles.
It's not a threat to Earth. If it were, NASA would issue an official warning to the White House and other government agencies — which is something the space agency has never needed to do.
Yet through telescopes, the sizable asteroid is already quite visible in the night sky. The Virtual Telescope Project — an educational and research astronomy endeavor that often shares images of passing objects — just captured an image of (7335) 1989 JA as it traveled closer to Earth. "The potentially hazardous asteroid (7335) 1989 JA is almost at its safe, minimum distance from us, being now very bright," Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, who heads the project, wrote online. (Near-Earth objects are those that pass about 30 million miles from Earth's orbit; a "potentially hazardous object" gets within five million miles.)
Like most objects big or bright enough to be visible from millions of miles away, (7335) 1989 JA appears as a bright dot against the background of stars. In the image below from May 23, the rock is some 3.6 million miles away. (The Virtual Telescope Project captured a closer image of the asteroid on May 25, from some 2.8 million miles away, but at such a distance it looks similar.)
Read more about space rocks and asteroids at Mashable:
How scientists find the big asteroids that can threaten Earth
If a scary asteroid will actually strike Earth, here's how you'll know
The mega-comet hurtling through our solar system is 85, yes 85, miles wide
Weather permitting, The Virtual Telescope Project will also livestream the passing asteroid on May 26 and 27.
NASA is currently on the hunt for asteroids that are considerably smaller than a mile-wide behemoth, but can still pose a major threat to populated areas. Congress has directed NASA to find 90 percent of the near-Earth objects 460 feet (140 meters) wide or larger, though even a rock some 100 to 170 feet across can devastate a place like Kansas City. That's why NASA-funded telescopes are continuously looking for potentially-threatening rocks of all sizes.
If astronomers find them, then we can prepare and move out of the way if an impact becomes imminent. "You need to know what's coming, when it's coming, and how hard it's going to hit," Eric Christensen, the director of the NEO-seeking Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, recently told Mashable.
And if humanity has years of notice, one day we just might be able to nudge a future asteroid away from our planet.
TopicsNASA
Dog elected for third term as mayor of Minnesota town2025-04-03 13:14
國足前瞻 :鐵家軍阿曼死磕爭三分 輸不起一戰力求攻守平衡2025-04-03 13:14
巴西前瞻 :贏球提前6輪進軍世界杯 衝29場世預賽不敗2025-04-03 12:30
愜意!費萊尼曬乘坐遊艇出海照 :人生苦短,要努力(圖)2025-04-03 12:26
Carlos Beltran made a very interesting hair choice2025-04-03 12:20
中阿比賽球迷入場觀賽獲批 最多吸引5000名中國球迷進場2025-04-03 12:10
阿曼主帥 :中國隊積分和實力不匹配 我們目標是戰勝所有對手2025-04-03 12:02
新華社 :率隊取勝是李鐵唯一選項 背水一戰國足勢必調整2025-04-03 11:59
Tourist survives for month in frozen New Zealand wilderness after partner dies2025-04-03 11:51
北大學者稱電競早晚會取代足球 曾因炮轟國足引發熱議2025-04-03 11:13
Fiji wins first2025-04-03 13:48
國安新援:我的風格最像阿德裏亞諾 最早在巴西是踢5人製2025-04-03 13:46
前英超球隊老板:曼聯引進C羅不是為獎杯 而是流量2025-04-03 12:58
國足23人名單 :董春雨、金敬道、王秋明 、巴頓4人因故落選2025-04-03 12:24
Watch MTV's Video Music Awards 2016 livestream2025-04-03 11:52
曝高拉特已申請與廣州隊中止合同 或效仿格德斯重返巴西聯賽2025-04-03 11:48
日韓周報 :孫興慜歐戰破門 古橋亨梧2戰獻3球1助2025-04-03 11:39
上觀新聞:李鐵何不順應“民意” 讓四名歸化同時首發?2025-04-03 11:31
Slack goes down again, prompting anxiety everywhere2025-04-03 11:28
對標C羅!曝博格巴向曼聯提續約要求 :周薪50萬鎊2025-04-03 11:05