asteroid
Latest about asteroid
Asteroid that exploded over Berlin was fastest-spinning space rock ever recorded
By Sascha Pare published
Scientists have calculated the rotational speed of asteroid 2024 BX1, which exploded over Berlin earlier this year, by letting it trail in images of the sky. It turns out, 2024 BX1 was spinning faster than any other near-Earth object ever seen.
An extra moon may be orbiting Earth — and scientists think they know exactly where it came from
By Stephanie Pappas last updated
The near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa, which orbits alongside our planet as a 'minimoon,' may have originated from Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the moon, new research suggests.
2,000-foot-wide 'potentially hazardous' asteroid has just made its closest approach to Earth — and you can see it with a telescope
By Harry Baker published
The 2,000-foot-wide asteroid 2013 NK4 just made its closest approach to Earth in recorded history, sailing by at about eight lunar distances. You can still see the massive rock with a backyard telescope.
Car-size asteroid discovered 2 days ago flies by Earth at 1/30th the distance of the moon
By Josh Dinner published
A newly discovered asteroid got within 12,000 miles of Earth on a harrowing, ultra-close approach today. The space rock won't return for 70 years.
Boulders flung from NASA's asteroid-smashing DART mission could crash into Mars, study predicts
By Joanna Thompson published
Dozens of boulders dislodged by NASA's asteroid-smashing DART test could hit Mars in the future, new research suggests.
'Potentially hazardous' asteroid Bennu contains the building blocks of life and minerals unseen on Earth, scientists reveal in 1st comprehensive analysis
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Scientists shared the first comprehensive science results from NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling mission at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, revealing the out-of-this-world makeup of asteroid Bennu.
Why aren't all orbits circular?
By Alice Sun published
Why do some celestial bodies have tadpole or even horseshoe-like orbits?
Water detected on the surface of an asteroid for the 1st time ever
By Samantha Mathewson published
Scientists detected water molecules on the surface of two asteroids for the first time ever. The team made the discovery using data from NASA's now-retired SOFIA airborne observatory.
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