asteroid

Latest about asteroid

A collage of six planetary radar observations of the asteroid 2011 AG5 captured a day after the asteroid made its close approach to Earth on Feb. 3.

'Potentially hazardous' asteroid that recently zipped past Earth is an elongated weirdo with an odd rotation

By Harry Baker published

An asteroid that flew precariously close to Earth in early February has an extremely unusual shape and rotation for an object of its kind, new NASA research has shown.

Asteroids
An illustration of a large rocky asteroid moving through space as the blue Earth sits in the distance

'Potentially hazardous' asteroid twice the size of the World Trade Center will shoot past Earth tonight

By JoAnna Wendel published

Asteroid (199145) 2005 YY128 will pass by Earth at a distance of 2.5 million miles on Feb. 15, but will pose no threat to our planet.

Asteroids
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) with a short third tail (to the left of the comet) and longer gas and dust tails (to the right of the comet) on Jan. 21.

You have one last chance to view the green comet this week, thanks to a close flyby with Mars

By Ben Turner published

The green comet C/2022 E3, last seen 50,000 years ago, will zoom past Mars this week. This could be humanity’s last chance to see the comet up close.

Mars
Some comets appear to glow green when ultraviolet sunlight vaporizes carbon molecules in the comet's head

Green comet C/2022 E3 will make its closest approach to Earth in 50,000 years this week. Here's how to watch.

By Brandon Specktor last updated

The green comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will make a close approach to Earth on Feb. 1/Feb. 2 before sailing off into deep space, possibly never to return.

Comets
A diagram from NASA's Scout system shows the path of asteroid 2023 BU in red, deflected by Earth's gravity. The green circle represents the orbit of Earth's geosynchronous satellites.

Asteroid set to make 'extraordinarily close' approach to Earth tonight. Here's how to watch.

By Stephanie Pappas published

Asteroid 2023 BU will be closest to Earth on Thursday (Jan. 26) at 7:27 p.m. EST (2127 GMT).

Asteroids
The rubble pile asteroid as imaged by the Hayabusa 1 probe in 2005.

Primordial asteroids are like giant space pillows and could be harder to destroy than previously thought

By Ben Turner published

The asteroid has survived in space for nearly as long as the solar system has existed

Asteroids
The interaction between the solar wind and the surface of asteroids may have created Earth's water

Radioactive space rocks could have seeded life on Earth, new research suggests

By Ben Turner published

Radioactive isotopes were found to produce amino acids inside carbonaceous chondrite meteorites.

Asteroids
An artist's interpretation of a killer asteroid exploding on impact with the Red Planet.

Colossal 'planet killer' asteroid sparked mega-tsunami on Mars, and now we know where it landed

By Harry Baker published

Planetary scientists have pinpointed the likely location of a massive asteroid impact that triggered an enormous tsunami on the Red Planet around 3.4 billion years ago.

Mars
The 2.5 ounce slice which contains the two brand new minerals.

Two minerals never seen before on Earth found inside 17-ton meteorite

By Ben Turner published

The minerals were found inside a slice of the El Ali meteorite, which was found in Somalia in 2020.

Asteroids
This 30-second exposure of the night sky shows a green fireball streaking toward Lake Ontario near the U.S.-Canada border.

Eerie green fireball detected hours before smashing into Lake Ontario in the dead of night

By Brandon Specktor published

A renegade meteor flared in Earth’s atmosphere in the wee hours of Nov. 19, creating a bright green fireball in the sky over the eastern US and Canada.

Asteroids
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